Appeal to My Humanity
by JessiokaFroka
Summary: Loki is banished to Midgard where he must come to terms with himself. Along the way he meets a certain bright-eyed laboratory assistant. Takes place after Avengers and before Thor 2. Tasertricks - Loki/Darcy. Outline of the entire story is complete and the writing is in progress.
1. Prologue

**Appeal to My Humanity**

******Disclaimer: I don't own nothin', sucka.**

******All of this is un-beta'd and I apologize in advance. Read at your own risk.**

**Prologue**

Thor and Loki plummeted from the sky. As they landed atop the peak of a darkened mountain, Thor threw Loki down who grunted upon landing. Loki simply lay there and laughed while Thor looked at him sternly.

**"**Where's the Tesseract?" asked Thor.

"I missed you too," Loki replied, still laughing, a smug smirk crossing his face.

"Do I look to be in a gaming mood?" Thor demanded.

Loki still seemed to be amused at the entire situation. **"**Oh, you should thank me. With the Bifrost gone, how much dark energy did the All-Father have to muster to conjure you here?" He asked, sitting up. "Your precious earth," he spat with a grimace and attempted to stand.

Thor dropped Mjolnir and grabbed Loki by the arm, holding him by the back of his neck, "I though you dead," he confessed quietly.

"Did you mourn?"

Thor stared at Loki for the briefest of moments. "We all did. Our father-"

**"**Your father," Loki interrupted quietly, holding his index finger up to correct his brother and shoving Thor's hand away. "He did tell you my true parentage, did he not?" Loki took a few limping steps away from Thor.

"We were raised _together_. We played _together_, we fought _together_. Do you remember none of that?" Thor demanded, pleading with his brother.

Loki turned to face Thor. "I remember a shadow, living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into an abyss. I who was and should be king!"

"So you take the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights? No, the earth is under my protection, Loki," Thor warned and took a few steps forward.

Loki laughed, "And you're doing a _marvelous_ job with that. The humans slaughter each other in droves, while you idly threat. I mean to rule them; and why should I not-"

"You think yourself above them," Thor interrupted.

"Well, yes."

"Then you miss the truth of ruling, brother. A throne would suit you ill," Thor told him simply.

Loki's rage boiled beneath his very skin, his eyes spitting venom at his only brother.


	2. Chapter 1

**Appeal to My Humanity**

**Disclaimer: I don't own nothin', sucka.**

**All of this is un-beta'd and I apologize in advance. Read at your own risk.**

**Chapter 1**

Shortly after Loki's defeat, Thor took hold of Loki's right arm and guided him roughly across the street to the teleportation point. Loki's hands were shackled and his mouth was clamped shut with a tight half-mask. The upper half of Loki's face showed only contempt and defeat.

Bruce Banner gingerly placed the Tesseract into its holding chamber held by Dr. Selvig as Steve Rogers took in the scene before him. Dr. Selvig closed the chamber and handed it to Thor who had a grim look upon his face.

Thor took hold of one of the two handles of the chamber and held it out to Loki, who grabbed the other without hesitation. Thor twisted his own handle, teleporting them both back to Asgard.

The brothers landed at the jagged edge of the broken Bifrost where Thor was greeted by Heimdall. He gave a silent nod to the blonde brother before turning his infinite gaze back to the stars, over the edge of his broken post.

Thor and Loki walked the Bifrost in silence, shoulder to shoulder, and although Loki's hands were chained he did not need to be pulled alongside his hated brother. The two reached the end of the Bifrost and traveled through the lower courts to the palace steps, where they met with Lady Sif and the Warriors-three.

"Ah, here is our traitorous prince now," Fandral told the other three loudly, smirking, a dark glint in his eye. Sif's and Hogun's faces were like stone; Volstagg looked upon the two brothers with uncertainty.

"You would do well to take care with your words about my brother in my presence," Thor warned simply, continuing his gait with his brother by his side. Fandral paled as the pair passed the four warriors and headed through the palace doors.

As the princes of Asgard made their way to the rear of the castle, servants scurried about, keeping their heads low and avoiding all eye contact with either brother. The word of their return had already spread and no one was certain of what Prince Loki's fate was to be. No one wished to cross Thor while his emotions were in such clear turmoil.

Thor and Loki entered their mother's chambers to find Odin laying in a large bed, a deep, golden glow cast over his sleeping form. Frigga sat next to her husband rigidly, anticipating her sons' arrivals.

"My sons," she said to them both. She rose from her seat and walked to them, holding out her arms to Loki first. Loki did not acknowledge her. He kept his arms at his sides and stood completely still as she hugged his standing form anyway; she then turned to Thor, giving him a hug which was returned. Thor continued to stare at his father's sleeping face.

Frigga turned to two guards at the entrance of the bedchamber. "Please take my son to his quarters," she commanded gracefully. Each guard roughly took one of Loki's arms and led him away from the room. Thor tore his eyes away from his father's face and turned them toward his mother.

"Mother," he started, anguish lacing his words heavily as he took her hands in his, "I am so sorry for all that has happened."

Frigga looked up at her son serenely that belied the sadness in her heart. "Thor, you have done nothing wrong. You have done what anyone would do- _could_ do- in your place."

They were silent as they both looked at Odin, but after only a few short moments Thor broke the silence of the room with a heavy sigh.

"I wish to discuss Loki's punishment with you, Lady Sif, and the Warriors-three," Thor told her, "Although I am king I believe it would be wise to have counsel given my current state, and I can think of no others whose judgment I trust more."

"Then we shall be here to counsel you as you see fit, my son."

x

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x

"He should be fed to the wolves!" Sif raged, her words echoing off of the high stone walls.

"He's always been a troublemaker, but this time he has gone too far. I agree with Lady Sif; he should be put to death for his crimes!" Fandral urged. The group were seated at a round table, discussing the fate of Thor's wayward brother. The sun was beginning to set casting a rich golden glow about the room.

"Loki has never done anything like this before, Thor," Volstagg stated firmly between bites of boar, "That being said, I do not think he deserves _death_ for what he has done."

"Then what would you see done, Volstagg?" Thor asked him.

"Banishment. Perhaps to Alfheim?" Volstagg offered.

"And you, Hogun?" Thor asked, turning to the black-haired warrior. "While you are the quietest of the Warriors-three, you are also one of the wisest men I know. I can see the wheels turning behind your eyes."

Hogun sat in silence for a moment while the others contemplated the situation themselves. Frigga waited patiently with her hands in her lap, taking in the scene before her. Hogun raised his gaze from the table to the eyes of his king.

"I believe that banishment would be appropriate," Hogun said simply.

"Fandral and Sif say death, Volstagg and Hogun insist upon banishment," Thor said to no one in particular, then turned his gaze to his mother. "And you, mother? What have you to say regarding Loki's actions?"

Frigga smiled. "I say neither," she said, letting the words sink into the silent room.

Thor thought for a moment. "You would see that Loki receives no punishment for his crimes? Mother, I love him dearly as well, but he must answer for what he has done somehow."

"I agree," she replied, "However, in this situation I believe our focus should be upon rehabilitation rather than retribution. Loki committed unspeakable things, but he has never known a life outside this world, outside the propriety of the court and the high palace walls. We live in eternal sunshine here, my son, and Loki knows nothing of humility."

He thought upon her words and she continued. "In order for a drastic change to occur to a being, that being must be thrust into a drastic set of circumstances, would you not agree?"

Thor nodded silently in his agreement. Sif and Fandral sat stock-still while Hogun and Volstagg listened rapt to the queen.

"Loki attempted to conquer the Midgardians because he thought them beneath him. I believe it would do him nothing but good to be placed amongst them as an equal that he may gain an appreciation and respect for all life, not just his own," Frigga finished.

Thor raised his eyebrows as his considered the idea that had not occurred to him. Sif clenched her jaw and she exchanged a look with Fandral, but neither of them dared speak out against the queen, especially in their king's presence.

Frigga observed her son turning over her suggestion in his mind. "And-" she added, "Might I remind you that I can see into mortals' futures."

"I do not wish to offend, mother, but I hardly see what that has to do with-"

"It has everything to do with Loki, Thor," she told him firmly, pleading, but after a brief second she softened again. "After your return from Midgard I set my focus upon every mortal you met, and one of them is his future. I have no doubt that our Loki can be whole, vastly better than before, and _happy_, if he so chooses to accept this mortal."

"If he so chooses it?" Fandral asked.

"Yes, he must choose to accept the mortal- and himself- as they are, and in doing so he will be able to discover who he is and what it is he truly wants in this life. If he should choose not, however... our Loki will remain lost."

"This is wonderful news, mother!" Thor grinned, relieving the tense silence of the room, but just as suddenly his face fell. "But I cannot unleash Loki upon Midgard. They are defenseless compared to his magic; they would not stand a chance. I cannot take that which was not given to him- he developed his magic himself and I have not the power to take it from him."

"Nor do I," Frigga agreed, "But I have already seen a way around it. I will give my magic to mask his."

Thor nodded solemnly. "And you are certain that there is no other way to do it?"

"I have seen it, my son. I shall make a simple chain to be placed around Loki's neck to be imbued with my own power. I can manipulate my power to negate his and he will not be able to remove it. While he will still be nigh indestructible, he will not be able to use his magic whatsoever while on Midgard." Frigga told him.

"But sending Loki there with the Bifrost still destroyed will take a great expenditure of energy, my queen," Sif stated, "Would it be wise to use so much power to simply teach Loki a lesson? Your kingly husband fell into the Odinsleep sending Thor there and bringing him back."

"Ah, but we will not need to bring him back. He will find his own way back to us when he is ready," Frigged said simply with her knowing smile. "I can send him there myself. I will survive it. I should mention one more thing, Thor," she said, her smile fading. "Loki cannot know that I have seen his future. If he does he will fight it and could thwart any attempts to realize the error of his ways out of pure spite. Loki should be sent to Midgard under the assumption that he is to spend time with the humans he hates, and that is all he should know."

Thor felt excited and happy for such a miracle. This was exactly what he was hoping for and he had not even realized it. "Then it is decided. I shall send Loki back to Midgard under the care of the warriors I met there, and his fate shall henceforth be in his own hands. I only hope he sees this as the opportunity that it is."

"I would not wager it," Sif muttered under her breath.

x

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x

Loki stood silently when Thor told him of his fate, and decided at that moment that he would not rest until his brother's head was separated from the rest of his body.

Frigga placed the silver chain around Loki's neck, freeing him of his access to his magic. Thor led Loki to the Bifrost, hands in chains but no gag covering his mouth. Before sending him back to Midgard, however, Thor pinned a note to Loki's chest like a mother would to a child being sent to the store for milk. The outside read:

_To be delivered to SHIELD_

_Attention: The Man of Iron, Bruce, Captain, Natasha, Clint, Nick Fury, and Son of Coul_

Thor described why Loki was being sent to Earth and that he and Asgard would owe SHIELD a great debt were they to take him in and put him to work. He explained that Loki no longer had access to his magic and also went into a reward/punishment system for Loki's progress or for him acting out.

With that, Frigga used the last of her power to transport Loki directly into SHIELD headquarters. Thor and Frigga watched as Loki's visage disappeared and, after offering her his arm, Thor walked his weakened mother back to Castle Asgard.

x

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Loki suddenly found himself in New York City, more specifically in SHIELD's lunch room, where he was promptly shot by no less than two dozen agents.

* * *

**I _live_ off of reviews- they fuel me and my little heart leaps whenever I get one. Please review!**


	3. Chapter 2

Appeal to My Humanity

**Disclaimer: I don't own nothin', sucka.**

**All of this is un-beta'd and I apologize in advance. Read at your own risk.**

Chapter 2

"Let me see if I understand this correctly, Fury," said Tony Stark, a look of utter disbelief on his face. "The big blonde surfer sent his psycho brother back to us _weeks_ after he destroyed our city and tried to take over our world, and you're just going to _take him in_? Am I right?"

Nick Fury surveyed the room full of angry faces. He had called in a meeting and every higher-up member of SHIELD was there – management, representatives from the White House, and of course every member of the Avengers (with the exception of Thor).

"You are correct," Fury responded evenly, "Normally something like this would be kept a little more... _private_, however, considering the circumstances... this may turn out to be a bit more public than we had originally anticipated."

"It can't be any more public than anything he's already done here," Clint Barton muttered, earning him a stern glare from Fury but nods of agreement from the people around him who had heard the comment.

"Thor left an extremely thorough note describing why Loki is here and what he hopes to accomplish through his stay under our... care," Fury explained, choosing his words carefully. "He was very specific about how Loki should be treated while he's here. And-" he said, making sure he had the attention of everyone in the room, "he wants us to put Loki to work."

"To work doing _what_?" Tony asked. "Burning ants with a magnifying glass? He doesn't know anything about our world or how anything works here-"

"That's not entirely true," Bruce Banner cut in, "He's surprisingly smart. While he may not know the specifics, the guy is, I hate to say it, kind of a genius. He would be able to learn quickly." Bruce's statement caused a flurry of conversation and outbursts from everyone in the room. Fury raised his hands in the air to motion for silence.

"What's your angle in all of this, Fury?" Natasha asked quietly.

"Thor has promised Earth, and more specifically SHIELD, the assistance of Asgard if we are able to find a way to connect the two planets _and_ help rehabilitate Loki. As I'm sure you all know, right now their main mode of transportation is busted. Their little prince is stranded here, and I couldn't send him back if I wanted to," Nick explained simply. "While I know emotions are high right now, it would behoove us as a planet to try our best to fulfill Thor's request. Asgard has technology that we haven't even dreamed of yet, and we could use that kind of power if we face alien invasion again."

Steve Rogers looked pensive. "How is this going to work? Will we be watching him in shifts?"

"You guys are talking about this like we're actually going to be keeping him here," Clint cut in.

Nick turned to Clint, "We can't risk having him in the hands of anyone else. We _are_ keeping him here. As for your question, Mr. Rogers, no, you will not be watching him in shifts. The only reason you big guns were called in here is to be informed of what's happening. Thor managed to keep Loki from accessing his powers and he doesn't even need to be put in a special cell. He's basically like an indestructible human at this point."

"Really. I think we should test that theory," Tony chimed in.

"We already did," Phil Coulson interjected. Tony looked between Director Fury and Agent Coulson. Fury rolled his eyes.

"Our agents were a little... _overzealous_ when Loki suddenly appeared in middle of the lunch room," Fury admitted. "Regardless, our tests have confirmed that he is very much indestructible and cannot access his powers, or magic, or whatever you want to call it. He is the equivalent of any other high-profile prisoner who is to be given certain privileges and as much as I hate to do so, we will oblige Thor's request of his brother's safekeeping."

A disconcerted murmur spiked through the room, but Fury did not allow for any further questions or comments.

"I expect every member of SHIELD to know that Loki will be with us for an indeterminate amount of time. Please disseminate this information to your people," Fury advised, nodding toward the SHIELD management. "That is all."

The room was filled with hushed opinions and the scraping of chairs against the floor as people rose to leave. Steve Rogers stood quickly and jogged after Fury.

"Director Fury, sir!" Steve called after the leather-clad man.

"Captain! what can I do for you?" Fury called back to him, not bothering to turn around or slow his pace.

Steve's voice was full of concern. "You said that your people ran tests to see if Loki was indestructible. Have you been having him tortured? Because I can not abide an agency using such tactics against a prisoner."

Fury stopped walking and turned to Steve. "It's nothing he can't handle, Steve. Even when our agents shot him his wounds closed in a matter of minutes without any lasting damage to his little princely head. Besides, Thor made it pretty clear that any slight against his brother would be considered a slight against Asgard itself. At this point we're going to keep him under close surveillance in a cell, and then we will progress toward moving him to some more comfortable surroundings."

Steve thought it over for a moment and nodded. "Please let me know if you need my assistance."

"You can count on it."

x

X

x

The four white walls of Loki's cell taunted him. It had been 37 days by his count since he was banished to this wretched planet and he only ever saw the same. Four. White. Walls.

Each day was startlingly more dull than the last. At first it was almost amusing to see the murder in the guards' eyes as they watched over him. But without anything to read or his magic to pass the time, he was stuck in a cell with nothing but his thoughts to keep him company.

The only thing that was ever different were the guards. Loki could hear their venomous tongues as they discussed him as though he were a dog. He spent most of his time fantasizing about killing them, Thor, and Odin.

Odin. Even thinking about the name alone left a sour taste in his mouth. What cruel joke was it that _he _should be called the God of Lies when he was raised by the most talented liar in the nine realms? If he had known all along that he was adopted, would it have made a difference? Would he have felt more at ease with his family by knowing the truth?

As the days passed, Loki slipped deeper into his depression. Without his magic, who was he? What defined him? Was he truly the monster that his father had told of when he was a child? And if he was, was that the life he was doomed to face forever? Who could even want him back after the deplorable crimes he had committed in a seething fit of temporary rage?

Loki had come to the finite conclusion that he had no home. He was an outcast on Jotunheim due to his stature alone. The situation wasn't much better on Asgard, where his pale complexion and coal-black hair stood out like a sore thumb amongst its golden-haired, bronzed residents. He had honed his magic to the point where his talents were revered, but to what end? It was still brawn that was favored and rewarded in the realm eternal. He doubted that if were not a prince he would not be looked at twice by any female in his home world.

And then there was Midgard. The humans were so convinced of their superiority and all the while unknowingly they were simply waiting to be crushed by the first alien race that came along. He had tried to rule them and they showed much more strength and vigor than he had been prepared for. If Thor and Frigga truly felt that he would learn anything from these barbaric creatures then they were in for a nasty surprise.

Loki would think, unblinkingly, for hours, to the point where a guard would rap harshly on his cell door just to bring him back down to earth. He would spend even more hours attempting to rid himself of the necklace Frigga had burdened him with and he found that he couldn't even touch it. He would go to unclasp it and his fingers would miss it, somehow. His irritation only increased with each passing day, not knowing what he would even do with himself from this point onward.

By the 60th day of his imprisonment, he determined that the sweet release of death would be better than staring at the white walls of his cell any longer, and he finally asked the guard on duty for a book.

x

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x

Darcy Lewis held two large cups of coffee as she walked through the halls of SHIELD's massive building, making her way down to the the subterranean laboratory that had become like her home. She was fresh out of college (those six credits were the last ones she needed- why the hell else would she sign up to be an astrophysicist's assistant if she was a poly-sci major?) when she was made an offer she couldn't refuse by SHIELD. They paid her a hefty stipend, they paid for her rent and utilities, and they even gave her a per diem which she mostly spent on junk food and Starbucks. How could she argue with a deal like that?

Plus they essentially told her that she didn't really have a choice, considering the knowledge she had of Thor.

They allowed her to be assigned to Jane Foster as her assistant and, knowing that Darcy already knew how to work Jane's home-made equipment, she was truly the best person for the job.

Darcy stepped into the lab to find Jane completely engrossed in her research, hunched over one of her instruments and absentmindedly clutching a hardly-bitten doughnut in one hand. Darcy placed one cup of coffee onto Jane's desk before setting her own coffee along with her purse down on her own desk. She immediately rolled up her crisp white blouse's sleeves to her elbows and tried her hair into a high ponytail. Although her casualness wasn't exactly up to SHIELD's dress codes, it was summertime and that laboratory was surprisingly warm, considering that is was underground.

"Any luck?" She asked Jane, booting up her computer.

Jane glanced up from her readings and sighed in defeat. "No, actually. I haven't been able to find what I'm looking for and I don't feel like I'm even close." She turned away from the instrument, collapsing into her own desk's chair. The dark shadows beneath her eyes were clearly visible to Darcy even from across the room.

Darcy appraised her older friend with a concerned look before picking up her coffee and eying it before taking a large sip. "You ain't lookin' so hot there, babe. Did you get any sleep last night?"

Jane closed her eyes and groaned. "I didn't even leave the lab last night."

"Oh my god. _Jane!_" Darcy exclaimed, She hadn't noticed that her friend was wearing the same clothing until now. "You need to go home," Darcy continued.

Jane looked up at her wearily.

"Seriously. I'll deal with Fury, okay? And I'll input whatever data you collected. Go home and sleep. You're not going to find the droids you're looking for on doughnuts and coffee alone."

Jane raised a fatigued eyebrow at her assistant and gave a weak smile. She picked up her purse and, after turning off her computer, she brought over all of the data she had gathered from yesterday evening and brought it to Darcy's desk.

"You're a saint," Jane told her.

"Hey! Don't go telling people, you'll ruin my reputation," Darcy feigned a scandalous look, taking the folder from Jane. With that Jane turned and left.

Darcy sighed and shot off a quick e-mail to Nick Fury with the last day's findings, describing that Jane felt that she had hit a wall with her research. She then turned to her normal day's tasks of tidying up the room and transferring Jane's quick, messy handwriting into a legible format on the computer.

Darcy was about an hour into inputting the new data into the system when she got up to hook up her iPod to the iHome speakers she bought for the lab, thankful she was able to turn the volume up to a decent level since Jane wasn't around to tell her to turn it down. She went back to her computer and was singing along with Fleetwood Mac's _Tell Me Lies_ at full volume, bobbing her head from side to side with the beat. Her back was turned away from the entrance of the laboratory which is why she didn't notice a group of people walk into her lab.

"Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies," she sang when she was interrupted by a loud cough directly behind her.

Darcy jumped in surprise and hit the 'pause' button on her iHome remote, turning around to find that Nick Fury had arrived in the lab, towing along none other than Loki in his full Asgardian garb and was flanked by three guards. To say that Darcy was shocked to see the man that had tried to commit a hostile take-over in her lab was the understatement of the century. Loki, however, retained the arrogant air of self-confidence that she had seen on the news but there was... how could she describe it? _Less_ of it. His amused expression at her candid singing only flashed across his face for a moment, but in that moment it made him look almost pleasant.

She immediately turned her gaze to Fury. It was uncomfortable enough having Loki in the same room without him staring at her.

"Nick. What's happening?" Darcy greeted him with the casual ease she had come to develop with him. He didn't seem to mind and what were they going to do? Fire her? She pushed her glasses up her nose and rose from her desk.

"Not much down here according to your e-mail this morning. So I have brought along a consultant," Fury said, motioning towards Loki.

"A consultant? Darcy asked, looking apprehensive as her gaze shot briefly toward the tall god standing next to Fury.

"He's not much good to us caged up in a cell and I'm _certain_ he will be nothing short of helpful to you and Jane with her research," Fury said pointedly, turning toward Loki. Loki said nothing, so Fury turned back to Darcy. "His majesty here is aware that if he's helpful and integral in connecting Earth and Asgard, we will allow him a few more privileges than just the books he has access to right now. The guards will be here in case anything gets out of hand. Just show him around today and you three can get started tomorrow."

With that, Fury turned his back towards her and swept out of the room in a flurry of black leather.

To say the silence that followed in the moments after Fury's departure were 'awkward' would be like saying that a blue whale was 'somewhat large.' Darcy took a deep breath and clapped her hands together. "Okay, so... here's the lab," she said lamely, motioning around with her hands. Loki looked thoroughly unimpressed.

Darcy cleared her throat and glanced at the guards who were absolutely no help. They remained passive and simply kept their gaze on Loki.

"Jane can explain the instruments better than I could, so we can save that for tomorrow. Would you like to look at the data we've collected so far?" She asked him, and he gave her a silent nod.

Darcy motioned toward her computer and Loki looked at it for a moment as though he expected it to do tricks. "Do you know how to use a computer?" she asked him. She took his silence to mean 'no', but when she turned to the computer herself he moved past her, sitting on the chair and scrolling through the data she still had up on her screen.

Darcy stood awkwardly for a moment while Loki looked through the data on the computer. The guards were extremely close to both her and Loki, and after about a minute Darcy gathered the courage to say something.

"Do you guys mind backing off a little bit? I'll make sure he doesn't hack the system or anything. If you're going to be with us down here then we're going to need some space to breathe," she told the three guards. They only stared for a moment before retreating to the front of the room, their guns in hand. Darcy gave a small sigh of relief at the sheer amount of personal space she had and turned her attention again toward Loki.

His quick, graceful fingers easily managed to find whatever they were looking for. His posture was almost languid, and Darcy was no small amount of surprised when she found that he was rather attractive in this state. Without the snarling shouts coming from him in the heat of battle, he was actually pretty hot.

He seemed to be thoroughly engrossed in what the screen was telling him, so she reached into her purse and pulled out her phone, flipping the screen to Facebook. She picked up her coffee and sipped it while flipping through her friends' status updates and after a moment she noticed that Jane's coffee was still on her desk from before she left.

"Hey, um, do I like, feed him?" Darcy called to the guards at the front of the room. They looked at one another and shrugged. She made her way over to Jane's desk and grabbed the now-cold coffee, bringing it back to her own desk and sitting it by Loki.

"You can have it. There's no use wasting good coffee; it's cold but it's still good," she said in his direction. He did not acknowledge her and continued to pore over the data on the screen.

She turned her gaze back to her phone and sighed inwardly. This was going to suck.

x

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x

Loki was escorted back to his cell by the three guards after a few hours of going through the particle data that had been obtained by the astrophysicist. He sat in silence for the remainder of the evening, considering his current situation. He noted that she had come impressively far given the crude tools she had at her disposal, but of course he would never admit that aloud.

Fury had made it clear that it would be in Loki's best interest if he were to help with the development of inter-planetary travel. Loki did eventually wish to have his powers returned to him, and the only way of doing that was to get Frigga to take the necklace off of him herself.

And, quite frankly, spending his time in the company of an attractive woman with access to research equipment seemed to be immensely more entertaining than staring at his four blank cells walls any longer.

* * *

**I _live_ off of reviews- they fuel me and my little heart leaps whenever I get one. Please review!**


	4. Chapter 3

Appeal to My Humanity

**Disclaimer: I don't own nothin', sucka.**

**All of this is un-beta'd and I apologize in advance. Read at your own risk.**

Chapter 3

The next morning in the lab Darcy and Jane were going through their normal routine with their easy air of familiarity, but both women knew that inside they were each a bundle of nerves. Darcy of course wouldn't admit out loud, but she was a bundle of nerves for a very different reason.

Darcy had already given Jane the rundown on Nick's orders from yesterday, so they had steeled themselves for Loki's arrival. They had no idea what to expect – they were aware that he no longer had access to his powers, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be crazy and violent anyway. Both women caught themselves wondering if he would be any help toward Jane's research at all.

Darcy was at her computer, her back toward the entrance of the laboratory, when Loki entered. Jane greeted him evenly and Darcy heard her explaining the equipment to him. Darcy did not look up or turn around to greet Loki, and instead focused on the work she had in front of her. She told herself she was just going to have to get used to him being there, but it was always going to be odd becoming accustomed to working with a god who had a massive superiority complex.

After about an hour of Jane and Loki's quiet exchanges about Jane's research, Darcy was comfortable enough to throw herself into her work in her favorite way – by putting in her ear buds and just forgetting that the rest of the world existed. She had a pretty eclectic taste in music that included everything from classical, heavy metal, and pop to 60's, country, and Irish folk music and just about everything in between. As long as it had a beat and she could dance to it, then it was good music in her opinion. She was in the middle of Eddie Money's _Take Me Home Tonight_ when she felt a tentative tap on her shoulder.

Figuring it was Jane, she didn't turn around from her computer an instead called out, "Wait, this is the best part!" She closed her eyes, rocked her head from side to side, and busted out her best air guitar moves. After a few seconds of geeking out she took off her ear buds and turned around to find Loki standing behind her with a wide smile on his face and Jane laughing at her in the background. Even the guards seemed amused.

Her cheeks flushed crimson before she gave Loki a dazzling smile in attempt to diffuse the situation, "Yeah, so, _that_ just happened. What can I do for you?"

"I need to see the figures from yesterday again," he told her, his amusement already gone. Darcy printed them out and handed them to him without hesitation. He took them and made his way back to Jane.

"You're welcome!" Darcy called to him, turning back to her computer.

With the exception of the impromptu air guitar solos, the following weeks were very much the same as the first day they worked with Loki. He was so quiet that it was almost like he wasn't there, but Darcy was reminded occasionally when she would look up and catch him gazing in her direction.

x

X

x

A week after Loki began helping Jane with her research, Darcy and Loki were seated at one of the tables in the lab poring over some books that Jane had given them to look through. Jane herself had left to go to the SHIELD library in order to obtain more tomes. Darcy was flipping through pages looking for a piece of information Jane needed when she looked up at Loki.

"So how long are you stuck here on Earth?" she blurted out. He looked up from his own book with a passive expression on his face.

"Until I can find a way back," he replied.

"So rebuilding the Bifrost is something that you actually want to do?" she asked, ripping open a package of Skittles and popping a red one in her mouth.

"It's not possible to actually rebuild the Bifrost from Midgard's end – it's more like pointing a portal toward Asgard and hoping it sticks," he responded. Darcy thought over his answer for a moment.

"You didn't answer my question," she reminded him.

"I didn't," he agreed. He went back to looking through his book and Darcy knew she wasn't going to be getting any more out of him on that topic.

"So why do you keep wearing your spacey alien get-up?" Darcy asked after a moment of silence. He looked up from his book with almost an annoyed expression on his face.

"Are you going to continue to ask me personal questions?" he asked.

She picked out another red Skittle and flashed him a smile. "Yes," she announced.

He sighed. "I wear it because it is familiar. I cannot bring myself to wear Midgardian clothing, it doesn't feel right," he told her quietly.

"Doesn't feel right, like, morally? Or more like it physically doesn't feel right?"

"Choose one."

"So if you're morally opposed to wearing normal clothes does that mean you feel bad for trying to take over our planet? Because I'm pretty sure that wearing normal clothes wouldn't do much for what already happened," she told him, catching his face freeze and a blank look wash over his features, "Because if you do feel bad then you can look into why you did it, and forgive yourself, and do good to try to make up for it I guess," she continued. "You don't have to answer that; I'm kind of babbling," she finished, her voice trailing off.

Loki stared at her for a few moments as he regarded her question. "It was a bad time for me. Eons of lies and dealing with the same people on Asgard for my entire life pushed me to a breaking point. So I broke," he finished.

"That's pretty heavy," Darcy told him, and he quirked an eyebrow at her expression. "I mean that's a lot to deal with."

"Indeed," he answered and after a moment stated, "You're quite curious."

"Well it's not every day you get to work with the dude bent on dominating your planet; I figure I should at least try get your side of the story" she replied.

At that Darcy was silent and turned her attention back to her book while he did the same. Loki, however, could not continue to concentrate as he contemplated Darcy Lewis in a new light. She was a strange creature, to be sure, and seemed almost not to fit within her own world. She was rash and spoke before she thought, lending a distinct honesty in a world so wrapped in facades and lies.

Loki made a valiant attempt to shake her from his mind, but he was thoroughly unsuccessful. Instead he remained in deep thought and silence for the rest of the afternoon.

x

X

x

Loki had been in SHIELD custody for almost six months and everyone seemed to be getting used to his presence- after all, it was just status quo that villains attempt to take over the world and the seasoned employees were accustomed to it by now. All of the agents appeared to be measurably more relaxed around him and, although he didn't seem to venture to anywhere but his cell and the lab, almost no one was surprised or wary when they saw him in the hallways (always with his entourage of guards, of course). The fact that New York City was remarkably back to normal after his rampage paired with the fact that that many agents saw him on a daily basis made it all the easier to ignore his very presence.

It was odd for Darcy, in those first few weeks, getting used to working in close quarters with a formerly-homicidal god. Considering how vocal he had been during his attempt to overthrow mankind Loki was uncharacteristically quiet when working with Jane and Darcy. The strangest part, in Darcy's opinion, was that each working day was the same. Darcy would walk into the lab with two cups of coffee- one for herself and one for Jane- Loki and Jane would already be there working and Loki's three guards would have already established themselves at the front of the room, surveying everything quietly. At the end of the day Loki was escorted out of the lab by his three guards and Darcy normally stayed late working. Every day, day in, day out.

Loki barely spoke to Darcy but when he did he seemed either thoroughly lost in thought or- and this was when Darcy liked him the best- when the occasional mischievous or amused expression would cross his face. Those times made it harder to remember that he had actually attempted world domination. But usually when Darcy heard his voice it was because he was viciously arguing with Jane.

"That isn't possible," Jane insisted, looking at the data Loki had pushed under her nose. They were in the middle of one of their many heated fights, and he had become a little more vocal over the last week or so- he seemed to be getting used to his surroundings.

"And I'm telling you it is. Check it," he told her through gritted teeth.

Jane strode over to Darcy who was doing her best to try to ignore the pair. Jane thrust the figures toward her assistant as Loki joined them.

"Can you punch these in and tell me what you get? Do the numbers correlate?" Jane asked Darcy impatiently. Darcy pushed her glasses up her nose and took a minute to input the figures. When she was done, she looked up at Jane apprehensively.

"I hate to break it to you Jane, but as usual, he's right," Darcy told her. Something like a smirk flashed momentarily across his face as he regarded Darcy before turning to Jane with a sour look.

Jane was silent for a moment, turning over Darcy's words in her mind. "Well, it's not a bad thing because it's progress, but it doesn't make sense with what I have already," Jane said finally to herself, looking at the numbers quizzically. She made her way to one of her instruments across the room and began fiddling with it, clearly fascinated by the newfound progress.

"I hated to be the bearer of bad news, but she had to hear it," Darcy told Loki with a small smile. His only response was to look at her blankly.

"You can choose to, you know, _not_ be so moody and brooding and sulky all the time," Darcy suggested.

"That is easier said than done, mortal," Loki sneered as though he found her presence detestable, but he continued to stay in her vicinity.

"Don't you _mortal_ me," Darcy snapped at him, which caused him to appear slightly taken aback at her tone, as if no one had ever really talked back to him before. "If we're going to continue working together you could at least be pleasant. It's not like I _chose_ to have a ridiculously short lifespan compared to you," she told him.

He regarded her statement. Finally he quietly said, "I suppose you are correct."

"See, that's better. Isn't life so much easier when you just agree with me?" Darcy teased with an easy smile.

"Watch yourself," he warned her, his voice taking a dangerous tone. Darcy tried not to focus on the fact that his smoldering gaze and his slow, sensuous words sent a thrill of primal lust through her body. She still felt a flush begin to creep up her cheeks when thankfully Jane suddenly called Loki over to look at something with her.

He flashed Darcy an evil grin as he looked down at her before sweeping toward Jane's part of the lab.

x

X

x

After Loki was escorted back to his cell that evening he turned over Darcy's words in his mind.

_It's not like I chose my short lifespan._

As he had told her, she was certainly correct. Bitter realization coursed through him as he determined that, in his former life, he had come to automatically detest all who were not aesir. After spending so many weeks in the company of the lively, smart mortal he became acutely aware that he actually _wanted_ change that.

Where all others in the building clearly hated him (could he blame them?) he was surprised at how easily Darcy accepted him, and at how much he genuinely liked being in her presence. She made him feel oddly calm when he had been so used to his torrent of emotions and self-doubt. He hated the end of the day where they would part ways, and he had come to absolutely dread the weekends where he wouldn't see her for days. Loki did not know how, but he swore to himself that night to find a way to spend more time with the lovely Darcy Lewis.

The thought alone shook him to his core and simultaneously planted a seed of renewed life within him.

* * *

**I _live_ off of reviews- they fuel me and my little heart leaps whenever I get one. Please review!**


	5. Chapter 4

Appeal to My Humanity

**Disclaimer: I don't own nothin', sucka.**

**All of this is un-beta'd and I apologize in advance. Read at your own risk.**

Chapter 4

It was a beautiful Winter morning when Darcy stopped at her favorite coffee shop and, on a whim, she ordered three coffees rather than her normal two. She then headed to the lab as usual to find that Loki had not yet arrived and Jane was seated in front of her computer.

"Hey Darce," Jane started, "I got an e-mail from Fury. Apparently Loki's been given a few more privileges for his good behavior," Jane continued.

"Oh yeah?" Darcy replied, setting the three coffees down. Darcy sat at her own computer, turning it on with her back to the entrance of the lab.

"Yeah. We're not going to have his guards breathing down our necks anymore; I guess they'll be keeping tabs on him through the security cameras in the room. They moved him to the on-site living quarters and gave him an ankle bracelet, so basically he's free to come and go as he pleases now so long as he stays in the building," Jane told her.

"So can I assume he'll be scaring the hell out me for his amusement on a less predictable basis?" Darcy called over her shoulder to Jane, her eyes fixed on her computer.

"Absolutely," a silky voice purred into her ear. Darcy was so startled that her whole body jumped slightly which resulted in her head lightly hitting his shoulder. He gave a low laugh as she turned in her chair and punched him in the same shoulder. Jane was giggling to herself at her computer having seen the entire thing transpire.

"Not fucking cool! Jesus, you have _got_ to stop doing that to me!" Darcy said, catching her breath but smiling all the same.

"Oh, but where is the fun in that?" he asked evenly before giving her a grin.

"And you're a traitor, by the way, Miss Foster," Darcy said to Jane with narrowed eyes before turning her attention back to Loki.

"And to think I got you your _own_ latte today," she said, standing and picking up one of the white coffee cups. The top of her head measured to his shoulder and she had to tilt her head to look up at him and she gave him a look of mock-innocence. "I guess I could just go give it to Nick..."

"You will do no such thing," he told her simply, a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Oh yeah? Stop me," Darcy challenged. She took his coffee and began to march right past him. Loki held out an easy arm across her waist and blocked her ability to move forward. Darcy froze at the intimate contact and took one step backwards so that she was no longer in the awkward half-embrace, turning to him so that they were face-to-face once more.

"Well, you win I guess," she said, handing the coffee to him. He took it from her with a triumphant smile and strode to the other side of the lab to observe one of the instruments. "You're welcome!" she called over to him. His back was towards her and his only acknowledgment was by raising his coffee cup up a little before bringing it back down to his lips again.

Darcy rolled her eyes and turned back to her computer, unaware that Loki's gaze continued to stray in her direction.

x

X

x

Darcy got back to her apartment that night and changed into her pajamas immediately. She wasn't quite sure what to make of Loki. She would be lying to herself if she tried to deny that she had a thing for bad boys, but what about evil ones?

Should she give in and just continue to fall in lust with the demigod? Was she just misinterpreting his signals? It had been so long since Darcy had a boyfriend – the thought had crossed her mind a few times that she might just be desperate, lonely, and reading into things way too much. She pushed aside any thoughts that Loki could ever desire her the way that she desired him. What could she offer a godly prince?

With that, Darcy resolved to attempt to date a normal, human guy. She recalled Julian, a SHIELD employee who seemed to like her. After she, Jane, and a group of SHIELD employees went out for drinks during the summer, she ended up with Julian's phone number. He worked some tech support position at SHIELD, he was nice enough and handsome to boot. He seemed safe. And safe was a good choice for Darcy right now.

On a whim Darcy pulled out her cell phone and sent Julian a text.

_Hey, it's Darcy Lewis, from work. You want to go out to dinner this Friday?_

A short five minutes later her phone buzzed with a new text message. Julian confirmed that yes, he would definitely like to go.

She gave a little confident "Woohoo!" to herself before turning on her TV and settling on a Martin Scorsese flick. She tried not to think about the oddly traitorous feeling that was developing in her stomach.

x

X

x

The next day was Thursday. Darcy walked into the lab to find Loki and Jane arguing again. She pointedly ignored them, setting down their three coffees and checking her e-mail. She was surprised to find that she already had an e-mail from Julian.

_Can't wait to see you tomorrow! Where do you want to go for dinner?_

Darcy looked at the message for a solid minute before she responded.

_How about that little Italian place on 7th?_

She set to her work for the day and got a reply from him almost immediately.

_Sounds great. I'll pick you up at 6._

Darcy turned around from her computer and waited for a break in Loki and Jane's argument. When she finally found one, she jumped at the opportunity.

"Hey boss lady! I need tomorrow off!" she called across the room. Jane and Loki stopped their arguing and both looked at her.

"Why, you got a hot date?" Jane joked back, causing Darcy to blush.

"Um, yeah, actually," she called back, sneaking a glance at Loki for his reaction. She wasn't disappointed; he visibly tensed, his jaw tightening as he immediately turned back to his work, turning his back to Darcy. Jane seemed to notice to, looking between Darcy and Loki with a quizzical expression.

"Yeah, go for it," she told Darcy nonchalantly.

Darcy put on her most passive face as if that had been the most easy conversation of her life. On the inside, though, she was a hodgepodge of feelings – elated that Loki seemed to actually be jealous, pissed at herself because she was happy that he was jealous (what was she, twelve?), and apprehensive and excited about the date she was now obliged to attend.

Everyone returned to their work, but Loki was more agitated than usual for the rest of the day. He seemed even more argumentative than normal with Jane, he didn't speak to Darcy at all, and he ended the day early without announcement or excuse – he just swept out of the lab an hour early. Jane looked like she wanted to say something to Darcy after he left, but whatever it had been he kept it to herself.

Darcy refused to let his pissy mood affect her. She left the lab on time that night, grateful for the long weekend ahead.

x

X

x

Loki stormed into his quarters, not caring about the SHIELD agent he had practically toppled over on the way. What in the name of Odin was wrong with him? Losing his head over a Midgardian woman – or any woman for that matter – was so unlike him. It was like an unanticipated punch to the gut when she had mentioned that another man was courting her.

Loki had told himself that he would spend more time with her, but he needed to make his intentions clear to her. Midgardian or no, she held a strange power over him the likes of which he had never known, and he barely knew her. His instincts told him that it was more than simple lust, and that he would have to be more forthright with her if his intentions were to be made clear.

Loki had become tired of his sulking, sorrowful ways. If he couldn't atone for the past, he could at least focus his attentions on building his future. He paced angrily before laying down in his bed, begging for the sleep that refused to come.

x

X

x

Darcy was ready to go and waiting when Julian picked her up twenty minutes late for their date. He had honked at her from his car outside of her apartment – one of Darcy's pet peeves. Darcy met him out at his car, giving him a forced smile and attempting to forget that he hadn't even had the courtesy to walk to her door to retrieve her.

She appraised him as he drove them to the restaurant. There was no arguing that the guy was easy on the eyes – he looked even better than she had remembered. Clean shaven, black hair with a purposely messy style, olive skin and light blue eyes with a toned build completed his look. Darcy was just trying to remember what, specifically, she had liked about this guy when she realized that she had been drinking pretty heavily the night they met.

She took a deep breath and steeled herself for the evening to come. While she had had high hopes for their little date, Darcy quickly came to the conclusion that they would not be realized. Julian chewed with his mouth open, spoke to her breasts directly more than twice, talked about fantasy football nonstop and made some seriously cheesy jokes. As laid back as Darcy was, she just couldn't bring herself to laugh, instead opting to take a sip of her wine and call over the waiter for the check.

The night ended with an awkward almost-kiss that Darcy will always remember as being avoided due to her own skill and dexterity. He called to her through his car window suggesting that they should go out again. Her noncommittal wave goodbye was all she could muster.

Darcy was enraged and disappointed at the failure of a date, so much so that her body wouldn't let her sleep. She knew that she would have a mountain of work to do on Monday due to her taking Friday off, and the anxiety of having so much work waiting for her weighed on her. At midnight she finally sighed, threw on a Fraggle Rock T-Shirt, a pair of jeans, and her winter coat, and walked the short distance to SHIELD headquarters.

At was 12:30 AM when Darcy walked into the lab, surprised to find Loki poring through another book in one corner of the room. He looked up, shocked to see her there as well, and turned his attention to her.

"Hey, I didn't expect anyone to be here so late. I couldn't sleep," Darcy greeted him, turning on her computer. She caught Loki eying her attire. "Um, yeah, weekend clothes," she shrugged.

He gave her an almost imperceptible nod and went back to reading.

Darcy tried not to focus on how angry, lonely, and awkward she was feeling. She was a half-hour into inputting Thursday's data when she looked up at Loki.

"Do you sleep?" she asked him.

"All living things sleep," he responded icily, not looking up from his reading.

"Sooo... do you only sleep for like an hour a day? Are you always at the lab this late?" she prodded.

"I couldn't sleep," he admitted.

Darcy nodded and turned back to her computer, figuring he would want to end the conversation there. She was wrong.

"And how was your _date_?" Loki sneered. Something about his tone almost made her wary of answering him at all, but she was a torrent of emotions and let her mouth fly.

"In short, it sucked. It was awful. The guy was a total prick and somehow has the impression that we should actually go out for a _second_ date. Like hell," she told him. "The jerk wouldn't know good manners if they kicked him in the balls," she huffed.

She was shocked when Loki burst out laughing.

"It wasn't that funny. I am so pissed off right now," she said, crossing her arms and raising an annoyed eyebrow at him.

"That's not it. You are what I'm laughing at, Darcy," he told her with a grin. Something in the back of her mind told her that that was the first time he had ever said her name, but she was too taken aback at his laughter to acknowledge it.

"So what about me is so hilarious?"

"Well, I've never seen you truly angry before. To think that you're so wound up over a boy so unworthy of you is laughable," he continued, shaking his head. "Are there no men on Midgard that you find suitable?" he asked, a mischievous gleam in his eye.

"That is none of your business-"

He cut her off. "It is my business when I mean to assess my competition, my lady," he purred, causing her stomach to drop and her face to flush. But Darcy was angry and bold, holding her head up to look him squarely in the eyes.

"There are no others, Loki. And if you're trying to compete, then I suggest you step up your game," she told him before she lost her nerve. With that, she shut off her computer and hurried out of the office, into the Winter night.

Loki stared after her with a trace of a smile playing across his lips. This was going to be fun.

* * *

**I ****_live_**** off of reviews- they fuel me and my little heart leaps whenever I get one. Please review!**


	6. Chapter 5

Appeal to My Humanity

**Disclaimer: I don't own nothin', sucka.**

**All of this is un-beta'd and I apologize in advance. Read at your own risk.**

Chapter 5

Appeal to My Humanity

**Disclaimer: I don't own nothin', sucka.**

**All of this is un-beta'd and I apologize in advance. Read at your own risk.**

Chapter 5

The next morning in the lab Loki made a point to greet Darcy a little more brightly than he normally would have. She caught him opening the lab door for her while she carried in their three coffees, handing him one before setting the other two down. His fingers lingers just a half-second too long on hers as he took the coffee from her.

"Thank you, Darcy," Loki expressed politely, catching her off-guard as this was the first time he had ever showed any truly pleasant manners since he began working with them. She smiled at him and nodded her head, turning quickly to get over to her desk and begin her work for the day.

Darcy glanced over at Jane who gave her a _very_ knowing look. Darcy tried not to think too hard about what was going through the astrophysicist's head as she focused on her tasks for the day.

The rest of the day was relatively normal. With the exception of the guards not being present, it was a smooth, boring Friday.

At the end of the day when Loki had left, Jane took the opportunity to  
corner her assistant.

"You. Me. Drinks. Tonight," Jane demanded.

"But you don't drink," Darcy blurted out, knowing full-well the reason why Jane wanted to hit a bar.

"True, but you do, and I need there to be a few drinks in you to get out everything I want," Jane said with glee. Darcy thought about it for a moment.

"Okay, but only because I haven't seen you this happy in, like, forever," Darcy replied. "But I'm going to need you to drink some water in a martini glass, at least. I don't want to be seen as the one chick drinking with her totally sober, responsible friend."

"Deal," Jane confirmed before turning back to her work.

Darcy bit her lip.

_Shit._

x

X

x

After Jane went home to change quickly, the pair met up at Darcy's apartment. Jane entered the domicile easily, well-accustomed to just walking in unannounced. Darcy's place was remarkably well-kept, neat, and tidy with rows of bookshelves in her living room. Jane picked out a well-worn copy of _The Count of Monte Cristo_ and began reading while she waited for her friend.

Darcy was dressed tastefully yet playfully in some nice dark jeans, black strappy heels, and a tight-fitting low-cut black top. She was adorned with a couple of long silver necklaces, silver earrings, and silver bracelets as she grabbed her black-and-silver clutch. Her hair was curly and elegantly wild. Where Darcy was dark and silver, Jane was light and gold – she was dressed more demurely in a silk beige blouse with flowy sleeves at the shoulders and a light brown knee-length skirt. Her gold earrings and simple bracelet accented her bronze complexion and golden-brown hair.

The pair grabbed their winter coats and left the apartment, heading to a nearby bar on foot. They grabbed a tall table in the back where Darcy ordered a large, dark beer and Jane ordered water in a martini glass. Darcy fidgeted as she looked at Jane, who looked all-too knowingly back at her assistant.

"So. Loki," Jane said. And that said it all.

"Um, yeah," Darcy said awkwardly. Jane could tell her friend was apprehensive and uncomfortable, but persisted anyway.

"He's surprisingly not that bad once you spend some time with him," Jane offered, attempting to open the floodgate that was Darcy's mouth. Darcy took a huge gulp of her beer.

"I'm not really sure how I feel about him. He's super hot for sure, but gods seem so... dramatic," Darcy responded.

"Be that as it may, I'm pretty sure I know how he feels about you," Jane told her pointedly.

"Yeah... he kind of straight-up told me he was interested last night," Darcy confessed.

"What?" Jane exclaimed. "But that's good, right? What did he say?"

Darcy explained the intense, almost-awkward situation she found herself in with Loki the night before. Darcy took a deep breath and assessed the situation. She knew this conversation was coming. "He's a flirt for sure, but what the hell am I supposed to do with that? I don't know if he's even capable of an actual relationship."

Jane took a sip of water from her glass and looked around the bar. "Well I don't know about all that, but I have to admit he's growing on me. He's certainly not the pompous jerk he was even a few months ago, and from everything I've seen it's because of you."

Darcy rolled her eyes, taking another large gulp of her beer. "I don't think so. He's being forced to work with us, and I think he's just making the best of his circumstances."

"He's not making 'the best of his circumstances' with me nearly as sweetly as he does with you. You don't go out of the lab during the day, Darce – there are so many stories about how silent and withdrawn he is around everyone else in the building, but he's never like that with you. Even those guards that were babysitting him mentioned something about it..." Jane let her voice trail off, knowing that Darcy would take the bait.

Darcy raised an eyebrow at her. "Like what?" she asked.

"They actually told me to keep an eye on you and him because he seems to 'favor you'," she said, using air quotes.

"What can I say? Dude's got good taste," Darcy grinned. She was starting to feel the tickle of a buzz coming on and finished her beer, ordering another one from a nearby waiter. She turned back to Jane and continued, "I'm not sure if I should be stoked or terrified."

"I'm not sure myself. He seems to genuinely care about the research and the way I catch him looking at you sometimes... I don't know."

Darcy's new beer came and she took another drink and began speaking slightly louder, becoming a little more animated in her mildly intoxicated state. "That's just the thing, I don't know either. Even if anything were to happen – and that's a big 'if' – how would that even work? How would I even introduce him to people? 'Please meet my boyfriend. You'll recognize him as the psycho from TV and he may have killed someone you love. But hey, he's cool _now_! Trust me!'" She finished.

Jane considered Darcy for a moment. "You have a point, but consider this – people are going to have opinions no matter what. Did you know that some people are weirded out by me and Thor?"

"Actually I didn't," Darcy admitted.

"Yeah, I guess the whole 'dating an alien prince' thing doesn't go over too well with some people," Jane said lowly, rolling her eyes and finishing her water.

"Well, when you phrase it like that..."

"Here's the thing, though. Loki has some really deep-seated issues," Jane said.

Darcy gave a very un-ladylike snort. "No shit."

"Obviously," Jane continued, "But the guy has made some major progress when you take into account that he hasn't been here for very long. I don't know, it's almost like he never really considered humans to be _people_ and now he's just starting to see past his own face for the first time."

Darcy gave her a sly grin and finished her second beer. "If I didn't know better, I would say that you are actually encouraging me to try to date Loki."

"Not necessarily, but I've seen you two together. It doesn't take an astrophysicist to see that you're attracted to one another. You seem to be good for him, and more importantly, he actually seems to be good for you, too," Jane said.

"Good for me? How the hell is a sociopathic alien prince good for me?" Darcy asked, giggling at the whoel situation.

"You know... you seem a lot happier around him. Until he started working with us, it was like you were just kind of getting through but not truly enjoying life in general. Now you have a spark," Jane told her and Darcy blushed, but Jane continued, "I'm just putting it out there. Not like you need it or anything, but-"

"But I have your blessing?" Darcy interrupted.

"Exactly."

"Sweet," Darcy said, ordering another beer, "This is insane," she said aloud to no one in particular.

"Welcome to my life," Jane responded.

x

X

x

_Darcy surveyed her surroundings. She was in a beautiful, cavernous ballroom with mirrored ceilings and a chandelier with thousands of glittering crystals hanging from all of its available surfaces. It was most certainly a masquerade- a throng of masked partygoers swirled in tandem on the dance floor to an eery, blurred melody while Darcy gazed at them longingly. She felt the overwhelming urge to rush in, to join them- but for some reason that she could not name she knew she must find something first._

_She looked about the room confused- what was it she had been looking for? She caught flashes of what she thought to be familiar faces- she could have sworn she had caught Jane's visage, followed by Thor's, but as soon as she had thought she recognized them they were gone._

_Darcy took to making her way around the room and caught sight of herself in a nearby mirror. She gasped at once upon seeing her clothing- a magnificent crimson ballgown, resplendent with tasteful touches of silver Swarovski crystals. Her corset fit her shape perfectly and the soft, layered skirts blossomed at the perfect length, just barely touching the floor. Her hair was another sight to behold, curled and pinned in an elegant up-do. Her half-mask, which only covered only her eyes and nose, was the same red as her dress with a few of the tiny crystals in strategic places, completing the look of her entire ensemble._

_She looked around in a daze after taking her own image in- what was it? What was it she needed to find? She turned around, looking all around the room in a vain attempt to remember when a rough hand took hold of hers and pulled her harshly into the mass of dancers. She opened her mouth to let out an angry cry, but no sound escaped her lips. The man pulled her and led her roughly around the dance floor, squeezing her too tightly, his hot breath hitting her face full-force. As quickly as she had been seized she was passed to another partner on the floor, then another, several times. Each one had been more rough and vicious than the last, until finally Darcy was able to let out a scream._

_Her scream caused her current partner to simply vanish, but the other dancers around her didn't seem to notice. They continued with their cadence as Darcy looked around, trembling, wondering why this odd dream had suddenly become a frightening nightmare. _

"_Was that my competition, my lady?" came a voice from behind her._

_Darcy turned to find Loki, who had been so close behind her that her hair brushed his chest as she turned. She looked up at him and said nothing as he took her hand, leading her to the center of the dance floor. For reasons she couldn't explain she felt, for the first time since entering the strange place, that she had found what she had been searching for. _

_Loki placed an easy hand on her waist and she placed hers on his shoulder, their other hands clasping one another as they began their dance. Darcy drank him in in mere seconds- he was clothed in something similar to his normal Asgardian attire, but it was grander- the gold was shinier, the leather was unblemished and the cloth seemed entirely unworn. His own half-mask covered his eyes, nose, and forehead. It was green with little golden horns at the top, reminding Darcy hauntingly of the only time she had ever seen him wear his gilded helmet, his face full of rage as he ruthlessly attempted the domination of her people. _

_His expression bore none of the harshness he had shown that fateful day, and he looked down at her with that madness-inducing amused, contemplative air. The music began to seem more distant and the other dancers blurred into the background until there seemed to be nothing left but Darcy and Loki, lost in one another's eyes. _

_Darcy's breath caught in her throat and she continued to be unable to speak even though she had myriad questions that yearned to burst forth from her mouth. Loki began to stroke her arm up and down, causing a telltale chill to adventure up her spine. He laughed lowly and suddenly pulled her close to him, startling her._

"_Shall we?" he asked her, looking down at her with a glint of something dangerous in his eyes. Heat flared up her body and she tilted her head up, looking at him full in the face with a quizzical expression. Loki blinked slowly and time grinded to a halt around them. Darcy's heart beat fast, and before she knew what was happening her arms were around his neck as their lips claimed one another. Their passionate embrace-_

Darcy's alarm clock went off and she looked around her room in a daze. Through the fog of those first waking moments her confusion was so thick that she didn't know where she was and she almost panicked. The real world came crashing down on her all at once as she realized that the romantic masquerade was just a torturously vivid dream.

"Ah, fuck."

x

X

x

Darcy's stomach was in knots as she walked into the lab on Monday morning with three coffees, handing one to Loki and then one to Jane. She hadn't come to a decision over the weekend regarding what to do about her Loki problem and the fact that she kept having remarkably vivid dreams about him only worsened the problem. She caught herself gazing in his direction the entire morning.

Jane caught Darcy's gaze once, and she gave Darcy that knowing look of hers while gesturing with her head toward Loki whose back was turned. Darcy gave her a panicked look back while mouthing the words, "I don't know what to do!" Jane shrugged and looked between the two again before going back to her work – it was official. Jane was going to be no help.

Before she knew it, 12:30 PM had arrived and Loki approached her. Darcy was staring intently at her computer screen and hadn't heard him behind her, jumping when she heard his voice so close to her ear.

"Would you care to join me for lunch?" Loki's voice was like liquid velvet.

Darcy took a deep breath to calm her nerves and smiled up at him. "Not that I'm complaining, but you don't eat lunch," she told him nervously.

"Ah, but you do," he offered simply.

"That's. Um. Well, yeah. You got me there," Darcy replied filling herself with a thrill of joy and dread all at once. Darcy didn't let it show as she gathered her purse and turned to find him standing at the lab entrance, waiting for her.

He held the door open for her and looked at her expectantly. "Shall we?"

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	7. Chapter 6

Appeal to My Humanity

**Disclaimer: I don't own nothin', sucka.**

Chapter 6

The pair made their way to the lunch room, choosing a table and ignoring the slack-jawed gawks of the people around them. Loki acted as though he didn't notice, but Darcy spoke up.

"Do I have something on my face?" she called over to a nearby table a bit too loudly, causing all of the people seated there to immediately avert their gazes. She turned to Loki and told him, "Haters gonna hate."

"Indeed," he responded.

Darcy had been nervous around him earlier today, but after the passive-aggressive situation with the voyeurs at the next table she was feeling much more relaxed. It was just Loki, after all. Just Loki, who she had seen every day for the past several months. Just Loki, who she apparently had a crush on. Just Loki, who she was having elaborate and nerve-wracking sexy dreams about. Darcy took in a deep breath and focused on the task at hand as Loki eyed her curiously.

Darcy opened her lunch bag and took out some leftover stir-fry. She took out an extra fork and handed it to him. "You want some?" Loki eyed the meal warily, giving it a look as though he thought it might not be quite what it seemed.

"What is in that?" he asked.

"Oh, you know, stir-fry stuff. Strips of beef, a lot of garlic, green onions, those little tiny corns," she rattled off. "It's really good. Not to brag or anything, but I can make one hell of a stir-fry." She picked up her fork and took a bite, looking at him expectantly.

"You made this yourself... I see. Well, I suppose there are worse ways to perish," he told her, picking out a piece of beef and onion. He gingerly placed it in his mouth and chewed, glancing up at her with a look she couldn't quite decipher. He was silent as he continued with another forkful, then another, until he and Darcy had cleared the entire bowl.

"So... you liked it," Darcy smiled triumphantly.

"I will admit that I have never tasted anything quite like it," Loki told her, clearly playing down the delicious meal.

"Oh, well if you didn't like it I suppose there's no sense in me bringing you your own bowl tomorrow..." she said nonchalantly.

"I would quite enjoy that, Darcy," Loki admitted, smiling a genuine smile and staring straight into her eyes. Darcy became acutely aware of why she was there with him in the first place. They were silent for a bit longer than was comfortable and she cut through that silence like a chainsaw.

"This is hard for you, isn't it?" she asked him suddenly, "Sitting down, sharing a meal with a human," she explained.

Loki took her in for a moment and the trace of a smile played across his lips. "I find this to be simply unfamiliar. I shall adapt," he told her confidently.

"Of course you will. Not that I'm complaining, but why are we here?" she asked him, waving a careless hand around to show that she was talking about the lunch room.

"Because this is one of the only places I can go to at the moment, and I work with what I can. The point of our meeting today is for me to lay the groundwork for me to 'step up my game' as you so aptly described," he explained, causing Darcy's stomach to drop. Loki fixed her with a laser-like stare.

All that relaxation she was feeling earlier? Gone.

"I should like to know more about you."

Darcy fidgeted with a napkin and looked into his eyes. "Okay... what would you like to know?"

"For instance, I know nothing of your past. SHIELD keeps their files on you so well hidden, and without my magic I'm afraid I'm at a bit of a loss."

"You tried to find my file?" Darcy asked, to which Loki only raised an eyebrow in reply. "Well, here goes. I grew up in New Mexico, I'm one of four children, and I wanted nothing more to break into politics until I met your brother and that robot thing you sent to destroy my town. Now I'm basically SHIELD's bitch because I know too much, which brings us to you. Quid pro quo, Loki. I know even less about you than you do about me."

"Do you have any hobbies?" Loki asked, evading her question.

"Small talk, huh? I said quid pro quo, Dr. Lecter. Let's do this," Darcy responded, holding his gaze levelly. He looked confused and her eyes widened. "Tell me you've seen _The Silence of the Lambs_."

"I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with... _that_," he told her, looking uncharacteristically confused.

Darcy snorted. "Geez, dude. No wonder you're so wound up; you have _got_ to relax. And watching movies is a really good way to do that. I think you'd like Hannibal Lecter; guy's all complicated, like you," she told him. "So. I told you mine, now you tell me yours."

"I'm afraid our lunch time is over," Loki said suddenly and rose from the table. Darcy let out an exasperated sigh and knew that it was going to be like pulling teeth to get him to talk about himself. She followed suit and they walked back to the lab together.

"Do your living quarters include a TV and a DVD player?" Darcy asked him while they made their way through the halls.

"In fact they do, although I have never had use for the DVD player to date," he replied.

"So what time should I come over tonight?" Darcy asked him, and his face went blank for a moment before answering her.

"7:00," he told her, expression never wavering.

"Great. I'll bring Clarice and Hannibal, you rustle us up some grub or munchies or something, and then your cinematic education will begin," she told him with a grin.

Loki held the door open for Darcy as they reached the lab. Although he wouldn't acknowledge it, the rustle of real excitement struck him for the first time in decades.

The rest of the day found Darcy either being a nervous wreck or unbelievably excited. She did her best to stay completely focused on her work but found herself staring into nothingness more times than she would care to admit. At the end of the day she left the office for home, jumping into the shower and mentally rehearsing just how weird this entire situation would probably be.

As the hot water of the shower beat down on her she mulled over the last few months in her mind. She had never really thought of Loki as a co-worker, but working alongside him had brought him more to an 'equal' status than she had ever thought she would feel with him. He was just a person, in a sense, just like her. A sum of experiences and what they did with those experiences made them all who they were, and Loki was no different.

Darcy kept trying to tell herself that, but intermittent thoughts of the fact that he was a freaking _god_ who had lived for a _bajillion freaking years_ kept interrupting those calming notions.

She opted for a nice pair of dark jeans, a form-fitting black T-shirt and her boots. She grabbed her well-loved copy of _The Silence of the Lambs_, threw on her winter coat and, seeing that it was 6:50, headed out the door.

Darcy arrived at SHIELD headquarters exactly at 7:00 and to her dismay she realized that she had no idea where his living quarters would even be. She asked a nearby guard where she could find them and she was graced with his very confused expression before he gave her some very hasty directions.

She made her way to the long hallway where the guard had instructed her to go to find that there was only one door at the end. She approached the door and took a deep breath. She looked around hesitantly for a moment before raising a fist to knock on the door; but that fist was robbed of its opportunity – the door opened and there Loki stood, looking like a lion surveying its prey.

"What took you so long?" Darcy joked as she stepped inside, not even waiting to be invited in. She looked him over in one short second, attempting to hide the fact that she was absolutely, unabashedly checking him out. Darcy had to keep herself from doing a double-take – Loki was surprisingly not in his normal green-and-gold, but rather some smart black slacks and a silk button-up black shirt, which he made look sexily casual by having the sleeves pushed up to his elbows.

"Well that's new," she told him, taking off her winter coat and hanging it on a hook nearby. Loki glanced down at his attire and then back up at her.

"The theme of my existence at the moment seems to be change. I am embracing it," he said simply, catching Darcy off-guard. For once his words didn't drip with sarcasm or mystery. It took all of her discipline to keep herself from pointing out the obvious – he had done it for her.

Darcy decided to change the subject and took a look at her surroundings. His quarters were clearly bigger and nicer than her own apartment – there were vaulted ceilings, an open floor plan, and gorgeous dark hardwood floors.

"They set you up pretty decent for a prisoner," she remarked, looking around.

"Did they?" he answered, looking around with disinterest.

"Smart ass," Darcy said, kicking off her boots at the front door and turning to make her way through the domicile. "I'm just going to go ahead and make myself at home," she called behind her, making sure to sway her hips a _little_ more than she normally would.

Loki stalked after her, maintaining absolute silence as he did so. He took in her form and gained a new appreciation for Midgardian clothing – her top and her jeans were the most flattering pieces he had ever seen her wear. The blouses she wore in the laboratory left slightly more to the imagination than he would prefer.

"I'll put in the movie. What's for dinner?" he heard her call from the living room. He went into the kitchen and pulled out the Italian food he had ordered for them.

"I ordered some sauce-drenched carbohydrates with lumps of meat," he told her matter-of-factly.

"Lumps of meat? Sounds pretty appetizing when you put it that way," she told him sarcastically. She got on her knees to fiddle with the DVD player, and it was in that precarious position which Loki found Darcy when he walked into the living room with two plates of spaghetti and meatballs. He stopped to take in her kneeling form, feeling his lust for her all too well in that moment.

Oh yes, she would kneel before him before he was through with her.

He regained his composure quickly, setting the plates on the coffee table as Darcy worked through the DVD menu to start the got the DVD working and the two settled in on the loveseat with their dinner. Loki was pleasantly surprised to find that he quite enjoyed what parts of the film he actually watched, but he spent a lot of his time watching her – the way she let her luscious lips catch the spaghetti sauce, the way she visibly tensed when the more graphic scenes from the movie occurred, the way she was inching ever-so slowly to his side of the loveseat.

Darcy had seen the movie no less than eighty-million times, and, knowing she didn't really need to pay acute attention to the awesomeness that was Hannibal Lecter, she found herself catching sidelong glances from Loki and feeling the butterflies' chaos in her stomach. She felt like a teenager – knowing that Loki was what he was, and knowing that taking the plunge that was a relationship with him was quite possibly flirting with disaster incarnate.

When the movie was over he cleared their plates and she removed the DVD from the player. They both took their places back on the couch and Darcy started the conversation to fend off the deafening silence of the large apartment before it became awkward for them.

Darcy was surprised to find them actually discussing the movie for a few minutes – and even more surprised to discover that he actually enjoyed it. Introducing Loki to a gritty, surreal part of humanity through art and cinema looked promising, and both Darcy and Loki were learning of startling differences between human culture and Asgardian culture.

"Are you seriously telling me that Asgard doesn't have serial killers?" Darcy asked in disbelief.

"Deranged physicians who eat rude people? No, I cannot say that I have ever heard of such a thing occurring anywhere until today," he told her. "However, I can also say that Asgard has very few female warriors, such as your Clarice Starling. In fact I can think of only one," he said, a grimace crossing his beautiful features for the briefest of moments. "It requires an immense effort to change your fate on Asgard."

"So your people don't tell children that they can be anything they want to be?" Darcy asked. He looked taken aback at her question, as though the very notion seemed mind-boggling.

"I should say not. Boys become warriors and girls weave and practice magic," Loki said simply, but his voice gave away the malice he felt at the tradition.

"But you're a sorcerer, right? So there you go, you changed your stars."

He raised a thin eyebrow. "Indeed. I also managed to ostracize myself from most of Asgard because of it."

"Because a man practices magic?"

"Because when you live amongst the same beings – more or less – for your entire life, any kind of change can seem threatening to the small-minded," he explained, his eyes seeing past her as he he let his mind drift briefly back to his home.

Darcy was having none of it. "That sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me. How do you expect to grow as a society of _nothing_ ever changes?"

Loki was silent as he read her. She was even more attractive when she was worked up. "And this is why I am coming to understand more every day. It has caught me off guard, seeing your people in a new light."

"Um, thanks? You know, I think is the most you've ever told me about your people," Darcy mentioned offhandedly.

Loki leaned in conspiratorially. "I feel strangely comfortable around you," he admitted.

Darcy took the opportunity to lean closer to him as well, leaving mere inches between their faces. "I feel strangely comfortable around you, too," she admitted, feeling the truth of those words as the escaped her lips.

"You shouldn't be," he purred, his voice like silk. "You should be avoiding me like the rest of them. If you knew what was good for you, you would run. If you knew what I could do to you, here and now, even without my magic, you would flee and never look back," he finished, his dark eyes piercing her own. Darcy felt the heat rise up in her but she kept her gaze steady to match his own.

"Go on. What exactly would you do to me, here and now?" she breathed, daring him.

Loki accepted that dare. He closed the distance between them and claimed her mouth for his own. Darcy's eyes widened only slightly before she closed them, kissing him back and losing herself in the moment. She placed her hands on his shoulders and he placed his on her waist as they pressed themselves tighter together. It was heaven – he smelled like clean laundry and raw power and _man_.

Darcy's heart raced at the thrill of finally being able to taste him. She opened her mouth slightly and allowed him to deepen the kiss, winding her fingers through his hair as he pressed her into the loveseat, his body over hers. She hissed with pleasure as she felt his hardness against her leg, sending a thrill of excitement through her. He moved those wicked lips to her neck, kissing and lightly sucking the area where her neck met her shoulder. Darcy let out an involuntary moan, urging him to continue.

It felt so _right_ – all of the time spent at SHIELD, her failed dream of chasing politics, his failed dream of world domination - all ended at this moment and Darcy regretted _none of it_.

She gladly allowed him to continue marking her for a few more sinfully divine minutes before she ended the session, sitting up and straightening her clothes. Loki himself looked wild-eyed and disheveled, his hair hanging loosely around his face as the gold chain around his neck hanging haphazardly over the collar of his shirt. They both breathed heavily as they sat back on the couch, Darcy resting her head on Loki's shoulder.

"That was fun," she said finally, grinning.

"It was. I should like to do this again," he told her. He placed an arm around her waist, resting his hand at her hip and running his thumb lazily up and down its curve.

"Absolutely," she agreed. They made plans to have another date that weekend, then Loki walked with her to the door where she placed a not-so-chaste kiss on his lips before leaving.

As Loki watched her leave, a feeling so powerful overcame him that he was forced to sit for a moment. He searched his mind for the name of the wonderful emotion that he hadn't truly felt since he was young, and realization struck him suddenly. It was happiness.

x

X

x

"Morning," Darcy told Jane and Loki as she sauntered into the lab the next morning. Loki and Darcy locked eyes as she gave him her most dazzling of smiles. She was shocked when he actually smiled back – of course she hadn't expected him to be a prick after last night, but she didn't think he would be quite so pleasant so quickly.

The three of them went about their day and it was late morning when Darcy received an e-mail from Nick Fury, asking her to report to his office immediately. She felt a quick pang of fear and brushed it off just as quickly – it would be fine, she told herself. There was nothing to worry about.

Darcy left with a quick word to Jane and made her way to Director Fury's office, where he was waiting for her. He motioned her to sit, then turned his computer monitor around to show her what was on the screen. Darcy was not at all relieved to discover a video of herself and Loki from last night, just as they began their makeout session. Nick turned the monitor off and focused his eye on her.

"Explain."

* * *

**As always, thank you for reading and please review :)**


	8. Chapter 7

Appeal to My Humanity

**Soooo... a million thanks for your awesome reviews are in order. I'm absolutely humbled by the response this story has gotten. It makes me feel all squishy inside.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own nothin', sucka.**

**Revel in the un-beta'd-ness of my writing!**

Chapter 7

Director Fury turned off the monitor and looked at Darcy. "Explain."

Without missing a beat, she trained her rock-steady gaze right back at the director. "I don't see anything that needs to be explained. Unless you've never been kissed; I can explain that that is what kissing looks like." She cocked her head to the side and folded her arms.

"What it looks like is you and our resident evil, bent-on-mass-destruction prisoner becoming quite friendly. This is a problem."

"Really. Because I don't see how it's any of your business," she told him. She knew that she probably shouldn't be speaking to her boss in such a fashion, but then again it wasn't every day that you get blindsided by watching a compromising video, starring yourself, with the director of SHIELD.

"I'm making it my business. I don't need him distracted, Miss Lewis. I need him to focus on the Bifrost project. What were you thinking?"

Darcy fought to keep her tone level and to keep herself from feeling about three inches tall. "Okay, number one – he and I are both very focused on the project. What we do in our spare time is no one else's business. We are both adults and can handle working together, " she said, the words falling unconvincing even on her own ears. "Number two – what I do with my body will not be dictated to me by anyone, especially not _my boss_ of all people," she added, crossing her arms under her chest.

Fury took in a deep breath and spoke very quietly. "The SHIELD code of conduct forbids office romances-" Nick started, but Darcy cut him off.

"And since Loki is – _in your own words_ – a 'prisoner' then the code of conduct doesn't apply. He's not an employee and therefore not subject to your rules," Darcy argued, the heat rising to her cheeks as she became angrier. "On top of that," she continued, "I doubt his brother would be too pleased to hear that you're taking away something that might actually help reform him."

Nick's gaze pierced her but Darcy stood firm. He opened his mouth a couple of times to argue with her but he said nothing – he obviously hadn't considered that. He finally heaved a heavy sigh before leaning back in his chair, steepling his fingers and clenching his jaw.

"I could find a way to have you termed for this, you know," he warned quietly.

Darcy gave a harsh laugh. "No disrespect meant when I say this, Nick, but we both know you're full of shit. SHIELD won't let me go unless I do something unforgivably reckless and I can tell you I have no plans to do something like that."

The director was silent as he regarded her. "You really think you can reform him?" he asked.

She took in a deep breath. Could she? "He's making excellent progress, actually," she said slowly. "From a strictly observational standpoint, he's nowhere near as hostile as he was only a few short months ago. I don't know if it's some kind of messed up Stockholm syndrome or if he's actually thought about what he's done, but he's changing. Little by little, it's happening. Whether I'm helping it along I don't know, but he seems to be coming out of his shell with me."

The director turned his computer monitor back to face himself and he typed a few quick words with the keyboard. "Miss Lewis, just be careful. He may seem sweet and charming to you, but remember what he is. The moment E.T. finds a way back home he's going to leave and forget that any of this ever happened. He's done monstrous things, Miss Lewis. Unforgivable things," he stated.

"I know, Nick," Darcy admitted.

"Just know that there will likely be backlash from the rest of SHIELD if you two end up taking this public. He's killed their friends and family. No one is going to forget that. _Ever_. And it's going to take a hell of a lot of making up before even one of them forgives him for it."

"I understand that it's an uphill battle, Nick, and I will fight my hardest. One more thing before I go," she told him.

"What's that?"

"I need you guys to stop recording his apartment. Not only is that seriously creepy, I'm pretty sure it's bordering on illegal voyeurism. We need privacy, and I need to know I'm not being watched. It's weird," she told him.

"Absolutely not," Nick said.

"Yes, Nick. He doesn't have his powers at all. I work with him eight to ten hours a day, five days a week. I'll be fine. And besides, his apartment is right here in the building – there are guards here 24/7. And it's not exactly like I can take him to my apartment what with his oh-so- fashionable ankle bracelet you guys gave him, so please Nick, tell me – what exactly are my options? Not to mention how pissed Thor is going to be when he finds out you guys have been spying on his baby brother. He'll wonder: where's the sense of honor?" Darcy asked.

Nick mulled over her words for a moment and typed at his keyboard furiously before turning back to her. "You've made some excellent points. I've sent word to have our security team remove the cameras and audio devices from his apartment. You two can keep seeing one another, but the second I see anything telling me that you and he are not focused on the Bifrost project I will have you moved to a completely different department, do you understand?"

"Understood. And I'm going to get my hands on one of those electronics-sweeping thingies that Tony has, Nick. I'm going to make sure you make good on your word. When will they be taken out?" she asked.

Nick set his jaw. "By the end of the day," he promised.

"Good. If there's nothing more then I'm going to get back to work. We have a wormhole to open, you know," she told him, feeling much more cheerful than she had when this conversation first started.

Darcy went back to the lab to find Jane and Loki arguing over a detail of their research. Upon Darcy's appearance they both looked up from their debate at her.

"Everything all right?" Jane asked.

"Oh yeah, better than all right, actually," she responded, getting back to her work. The inquisitive look that Loki gave her was not lost on Darcy, but she gave him a meaningful look – they could talk later.

When lunchtime came Darcy and Loki went to the dining hall again together. Apparently the shock of seeing the two eating together had worn off somewhat, because the pair received far fewer stares than they had the previous day. Darcy was sharing her double-portion of sushi with Loki and she watched him try a piece and was happy to see that he clearly approved.

"The director," he remarked simply. Darcy glanced up from the piece of shrimp tempura that was making a valiant attempt to suicide-dive out of her crunchy roll.

"Yeah. Nick. He wanted to talk to me about you. They saw us," she explained and noted that his face remained casually neutral. "There are cameras in your apartment."

Loki didn't seem surprised or, surprisingly, angry. "I had a feeling. It is what I would have done were I in their position," he pointed out.

"Yeah, well, they'll be gone by tomorrow. I kind of flipped out when he showed me the video. It was. So. Creepy," she told him, rolling her eyes and moving her food around with her chopsticks.

"So when will you be leaving?" he asked solemnly. Darcy was caught off-guard by his question.

"When will I be leaving? Where?"

"I assume that they will make you move to a new facility or leave SHIELD entirely," Loki told her. Darcy grinned and put a hand on his arm, knowing full well that a good 97% of the lunch room was watching them.

"I told Nick that what I do with my body and my spare time is none of their damn business, and they can go kick rocks for all I care," she said. "I get why they feel like they have to keep you under lock and key, but denying you basic freedoms is inhumane. If they ever hope to mold you into... whatever the hell it is they're trying to do with you, they're not going to earn any brownie points by keeping you miserable," she finished.

Loki chewed simultaneously on her words and a piece of shrimp. "He accepted your response and will allow us to continue undeterred?"

"As long as we stay focused on the Bifrost project during work hours we can keep working together. I sort of promised him we would be good from 9 to 5," she admitted sheepishly.

He arched one delicate brow at her. "You should not make promises you cannot hope to keep, mortal."

Darcy clicked her tongue and arched one brow right back at him. "Is it sick that I think it's kind of hot that you call me 'mortal' occasionally?" she teased, mocking him.

Loki's eyes widened for a fraction of a second and then narrowed dangerously. "You play with fire," he warned. Heat pooled in her belly but refused to let him see her flustered.

"Bring it, mischief man," she challenged, laughing. "I'm not afraid of you." Before he could respond, she rose from the table as their lunch hour was over. He followed suit and they walked back to the lab together, both well-aware that they were being watched by half of SHIELD as they left.

x

X

x

Darcy was belting out her best, high-pitched rendition of Prince's _Kiss_ the next day after another shared lunch with Loki when she noticed the little unassuming yellow sticky note hanging haphazardly off of the left edge of her desk. She finished up a chorus and another column of the excel spreadsheet she had been working on before she picked it up to examine it. She instantly recognized the spiky scrawl as Loki's handwriting, but could hardly believe that what was written on it was sitting out in the open where anyone could have seen it.

_Mortal,_

_Is it sick that I can hardly keep myself from imagining you on your knees before me?_

_-Mischief Man_

Darcy paled as she read and re-read the note, throwing a glance over her shoulder to find Loki and Jane engrossed with an instrument on the other side of the room. Pure adrenaline and lust shot through her as she put the piece of paper in her purse.

She was well-aware that they were being constantly monitored and she didn't want to give away any indication that he might be distracted in the slightest. She carried on with her day and said nothing to Loki. On her way to the bathroom down the hall she ran into none other than the man of iron himself, Tony Stark.

"Darcy Lewis," he greeted her, causing her to stop in her tracks and do a double-take.

"Tony Stark?" Darcy asked, not completely certain if the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist was actually speaking to her.

"Darcy Lewis," Tony replied in an amused, almost-mocking tone. She blinked at him for a quick moment before regaining control of her vocal cords.

"You know my name?" she couldn't help but blurt out, immediately regretting her lack of grace.

"Yeah, about that. A lot of people talk about you. And Jane Foster. And Loki, He Who is Burdened With Glorious Purpose," he told her, looking her up and down. He looked oddly cautious. "It's a certain caliber of person that can work in close quarters with someone like... him. How are you handling it?" he asked with unabashed curiosity.

Darcy had never had a good poker face but she commended herself on how steady she was able to keep her visage straight, hoping that Tony wouldn't notice her reddening cheeks. "Truthfully it hasn't been a chore. Some days he's downright pleasant to be around. I think he finally decided he would rather stop being at odds with everyone," she added as an afterthought.

"I see," Tony stated, and those words hung heavy in the air between them. "You know, if you ever see me around, I'm always willing to listen if you need to talk about... anything," he stressed, looking at her pointedly. Very pointedly.

Darcy paled. Tony knew. He fucking _knew._

"Um," was all Darcy said.

"Your secret's safe with me, kid. Just be careful, okay?"

"What secret?" she asked, purposely feigning innocence.

Tony rolled his eyes at her. "Dining with the devil on a daily basis? You spend all day, every day with him. You're now spending time with him socially. The guy's either playing out a spectacular lie or he may be limping toward the path of righteousness, but it doesn't mean you have to get caught in the middle of it all. You have a choice, you're smart, and I'm convinced that you're fully capable of knowing when to run. And it's all up to you. But like I said, your secret's safe with me."

She let his words sink in for a moment, mulling them over. "I'm not even sure what my secret is right now," she admitted. "But I'll keep your offer in mind."

She turned to walk away from him, well-aware that he was staring after her when she remembered something. "Hey, Iron Man," she called, turning around.

"'Sup?"

"I have a favor to ask. Would you mind if I borrow one of those electronics-sweeping dealies? You know, for looking for bugs and such?" she asked.

He blinked for only a brief moment before answering. "Don't want Big Brother watching you two, huh? You got it. I'll bring it by the lab sometime tomorrow."

"You rock!" she told him, flashing him a grin and proceeding to her original destination.

After she was finished with the restroom she went quickly back to the lab. Darcy continued to ignore Loki's presence and Loki didn't bring up the post-it note. They parted ways that evening with a smile (from Darcy) and a smoldering, hungry stare (from Loki), both looking forward to their second date that weekend. Only one more day to go and they would be free (so to speak) for a glorious 48 hours.

As Darcy logged an hour on her elliptical that night she found her mind wandering back to her conversation with Tony. Were they _that_ obvious? Maybe Tony was just really perceptive. Or maybe the SHIELD agents were more like schoolgirls and just spreading rumors that just happened to be true, whether they knew it or not.

She breathed heavily as she pushed herself harder, going faster. She was so blissfully happy and so distraught all at once – she found it hard to believe that anyone, even the most open-minded people, would accept her relationship with Loki with open arms. God, they could lynch her for it. But fuck them.

Darcy had never been one for keeping up a facade anyway. If she and Loki were going to do this – whatever _this_ was – she was going to be damned if she was going to sulk around in the shadows and hide it.

She ended her workout drenched in sweat, looking like something the cat dragged in, and resolute in her mindset that this weekend she was absolutely going to rock that god's world.

* * *

**Shhhhhh... do you hear that? I think it's the sound of smut coming. **

**No pun intended.**

**I love your reviews! They fill my heart with the awesome power of a guitar solo played by a peg-legged pirate on the back of a flaming dragon, y'all.**


	9. Chapter 8

Appeal to My Humanity

**Disclaimer: If I owned Loki do you think I would spend ****_any _****of my time outside of my bedroom?**

**Warning! This is ****_so _****un-beta'd.**

**Oh, and one more thing – for some reason 's e-mails have been going into my junk folder for the last five days for some inexplicable reason. So I looked back in my reviews and follows and I see that an absolute ****_fuckton_****of people have started following this fic, and a lot of kind people have left some awfully nice reviews and I haven't had the good manners to thank them ****_because I had no idea they were there_****. So thanks, guys. You freaking rule.**

Chapter 8

Darcy walked into the office with a little extra bounce in her step Friday morning. She handed Jane her coffee and went to give Loki his, casting him a predatory gaze and motioning for him to come to her desk to speak with him privately.

"You," she said to him.

"Me," he confirmed with a grin, as if the revelation of himself were some secret he was divulging to a grateful audience.

"You're in a good mood today. How would you like to be in an even better mood this evening?" she asked, smiling back at him and raising her eyebrows suggestively, "If you'd like we can start our second date tonight instead. Unless you're busy."

"I may have to pencil you in between Pilates and laundry, but I'm certain I can deign to fit you in somehow," he said, taking a sip of his coffee.

Darcy shot him a smile just before narrowing her eyes at him. "This development of a sense of humor is highly suspect. And why do you know what Pilates are?"

Loki cleared his throat and turned his nose up, reminding her of his aristocratic upbringing. "I may be making use of that television set more often than may be strictly necessary," he admitted.

"Well no TV for us tonight then; I guess we'll just have to find something else to do with our time. Speaking of things entirely unrelated to that last sentence, I want to let you know that I know what you're doing," she told him, lowering her voice and glancing over at Jane to ensure she wasn't listening in on their conversation.

Loki feigned innocence, widening his eyes. "What I'm doing? Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean I don't want to be moved to another department or fired, Loki. I really, really like working here with you and Jane. And it's not to say I don't appreciate-the super hotness of that note you left me, but maybe find a way to make it a little more private?" Darcy asked, pleading.

"Ah, but where's the fun in that?" he asked before turning away from her and the conversation. It was clear that he was running away from an argument he probably wouldn't win.

"This conversation isn't over!" Darcy called after him, sighing and turning to her computer to get her work started for the day. She had been on a roll with deciphering Jane's handwriting for at least 45 minutes when a voice interrupted her train of thought.

"Hey Darce," Jane called. Darcy turned around in her chair to face the entrance to the lab and found Tony Stark looking around the room, taking in the equipment and lack of decor. His gaze finally fell on Darcy and she smiled when she saw the contraption in his hand.

"Hey, the sweepy dealy! Thanks!" She got up and walked over to him, well-aware that Loki's gaze followed her.

"This one is actually called a radio frequency detector, but sweepy dealy works," Tony told her as he handed her the device.

"You're the best; thanks for taking the time to bring this down to me," she told him, smiling.

"Sure thing. Just so you know," he leaned in and lowered his voice conspiratorially, "most of these detectors will only pick up live listening devices. I messed with this one for you- it will pick up anything that's recording at all whether or not it's connected to a live feed."

"Ooooh, sweet, thanks. I really appreciate you going the extra mile, I totally owe you one," said Darcy gratefully.

"I'll take you up on that, you know. Just be careful," Tony told her, glancing over at Loki who was looking back at Darcy and Tony with no small amount of suspicion.

"Hey big guy," Tony called over to Loki, "How's the wormhole thing coming?"

Loki blinked at him for a second before answering. "It is progressing more steadily than I had anticipated," he answered finally.

Tony looked surprised that he had actually gotten a straightforward, civilly-worded answered out him, "Well that's, uh, super. You guys keep up the good work. Oh, and Darcy- you might want to hang onto that for a while," he told her, gesturing toward the RF detector with his eyes. "You never know when one of these could come in handy."

"Will do, Tony. Thanks for bringing it by, and on such short notice."

With that Tony Stark left the room with Jane and Loki staring after him.

They got back to their workday which passed much more slowly than should even be legal in Darcy's opinion. Loki was quiet and he snapped at her at lunch which surprised her. She was so used to his new, subdued, "rehabilitation-in-progress" demeanor that she was caught off-guard when he was short with her. Darcy began mirroring his demeanor and was short right back at him.

At the end of the day Darcy approached Loki who seemed to be looking anywhere but at her. Jane was at her computer across the room, shutting down and gathering her belongings.

"_What_ is your problem today?" Darcy asked Loki pointedly.

"Subtle," he retorted, sneering. He crossed his arms and stood up straighter, towering over her. Darcy didn't back down and put her hands on her hips, cocking her head to one side.

"What am I supposed to do? Walk on eggshells around you? You were totally cool this morning and now you're acting like a bitchy diva. So what's wrong?" she demanded.

"Bye guys, have a good weekend," Jane called to the pair, breaking the intensity of their interaction before she left.

Loki pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. He drew a deep breath and looked down at her. "Might we discuss this this evening?"

Darcy was silent as she looked him up and down. After a moment she grudgingly realized that it would probably do the two of them some good to be apart and calm down, but calming down from _what_ she had absolutely no idea.

"Here, take the RF detector," she told him, handing him the device Tony had lent her. "I don't know what we're going to be discussing, but okay, I'll see you in an hour or so," she answered, projecting her annoyance and confusion loud and clear. Without another word she left in a huff, becoming incrementally more angry with each step she took.

When Darcy got home she attempted to calm herself. She went through her before-date motions: she showered, shaved everything below her neck, and threw on some choice undergarments. She thought back on the day and the events that led up to his complete about-face with his mood and realized suddenly – Loki's mood shifted after Tony came in to speak with her. Darcy was in the middle of putting on one thigh-high sheer stocking when it hit her and she froze – Loki was jealous.

Darcy took in a deep breath and, realizing that figuring out what the hell his problem was actually made her much less angry, she thought over the situation. She wasn't going to put up with yet another possessive, jealous man in her life by any stretch of the imagination, and even though Loki wasn't any _normal_ man in her life, she still wasn't going to have any of it – he would need to figure out how to control his petty, childish emotions if he wanted to keep her around.

Finally ready, she took a look at her reflection in her full-length mirror. She wore a knee-length black skirt, a green silk halter top, a pair of smart black high heels, and a blazer to cover up her shoulders. Pleased with her ensemble and her resolve intact, she made her way back to SHIELD headquarters.

x

X

x

The guards on duty at the front desk included the same one she asked for directions the last time she had come to see Loki after-hours. He only gave Darcy a brief second glance as she walked in right past them, pointed in the direction of Loki's quarters. She headed down the long, blank hallway and stopped in front of the single door at the end, taking in a deep breath before raising her hand to knock.

Her fist hit the door only once before it was suddenly opened by Loki, who had clearly been waiting there for her. His face was blank as he looked at her; she arched one brow before pushing past him and letting herself into the apartment.

"Okay, can you tell me what's going on?" she demanded, taking off her blazer and hanging it on the hook near the door. Loki's gaze shot down to her bare shoulders - a fact that Darcy did not miss. Loki was silent and tightened his jaw, but Darcy continued when he didn't answer.

"Let me guess – this has something to do with Tony, right?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Yes, it has something to do with _Tony_," he bit out, surprising Darcy with the venom in his voice.

"And what about him?" she shot back, crossing her arms.

"Oh don't tell me you didn't notice the manner in which he _ogled_ you," Loki sneered, "His lust was practically written all over his face."

"You have to be kidding me, Loki. Really? I don't even know what you and I _are_ yet and you pull the jealousy card?" Loki opened his mouth to retort but Darcy cut him off. "For your information, Tony is involved with someone else, _I'm_ not interested in _him_, and I seem to like _you_, for some fucking reason."

Loki paled and cut her with a glare so powerful she actually shrank back from him. He towered over her as he spoke. "Never in my life have I tolerated such insolence," he started, taking a step towards her. She took an instinctive step backwards, looking up at him. "I shall not stand idly by while you seek to control me with such actions," he took another step forward and Darcy's back hit the wall behind her. "I am a prince, Darcy. Kings of other realms have bowed to me, and here you stand-"

Darcy laughed harshly, cutting him off. "Well, welcome to Earth, _your highness_. Perhaps it's escaped your royal grasp, but you're prince of _jack-shit nothing_ down here with we peons, Loki. You act like you hate mankind but at the same time you're kind of reformed and sort of helping us out? Oh, and along the way I'm in the middle of it and I don't even know why you seem to have taken an interest in me – let alone do I 'seek to control you'. I feel like I barely know who you are!" she finished, practically shouting her last words at him. Her cheeks were flushed as she looked up at him.

That did it.

He returned her stare quietly, leaning in and closing the distance between them. Lusty heat flared up in Darcy as she breathed in his scent; he leaned his head down to where it was hovering a scant centimeter above her shoulder and she took in a deep breath, unsure of what, exactly, she had just provoked.

"You are _mine_, and you will know who I am when we are finished tonight," he growled in her ear. Darcy turned her head to face him and Loki quickly seized her mouth for his own. Darcy was tossed between a torrent of conflicting emotions – she was angry with him and lusted for him all at once – but as long as Loki didn't stop what he was doing with his tongue Darcy wasn't going to complain.

Darcy leaned into him and deepened the kiss, relaxing and placing her hands on his Asgardian leather-clad chest. Loki took her hands roughly and pinned them on either side of her head, moving his wicked mouth to that wonderful, sweet spot between her neck and shoulder. Darcy breathed a quick, sharp intake of air and rubbed her legs together, yearning for release already.

"Not yet, darling, we're just getting started" Loki breathed huskily between kisses. He sucked hard on her neck and Darcy moaned, urging him on and grateful that she would have the weekend to heal from that love bite. Loki placed her hands around his neck and she grasped on, when suddenly Loki lifted her, pressing her against the wall. He pushed the bottom of her skirt up to her ass, showing the lacy tops of her black thigh-high stockings with only her black sheer panties separating her center and his clothing. His hands supported her bare ass and he grabbed her tightly, grinding his hardness into her and illiciting a low moan from her throat.

Loki moved his mouth back to hers and she looked into his eyes. His predatory expression only turned her on more, and she let out one word.

"Bedroom."

With Darcy's legs still around Loki waist he obliged immediately, his mouth never leaving hers. He tapped the bedroom door open with his foot, sweeping inside and dropping her unceremoniously onto the bed. He looked down at Darcy, her hair fanned out around her, glasses askew, and her skirt pushed up to her waist revealing her panties and stockings – and looking at him like _that_. She looked positively wanton.

She licked her top lip as she looked up at him, begging him with her body.

"You're wearing entirely too much clothing, your majesty," she purred, her words dripping with sultry promise.

He arched one brow at her, head held high. He placed his hands on his hips, looking every inch a king. "Undress me," he ordered.

Darcy hesitated for only a moment before sitting up, throwing off her glasses, and working the most important part of his ensemble – she went right for the buckle across his midsection, trying to get at the prize underneath. He grinned as he looked down at her, taking in the sight of her before him. Darcy got through the first few clasps and buckles easily, standing for a moment to peel away his cloak and top layer of leather armor, only to be confronted with more leather underneath. She huffed in frustration.

"This whole get-up is a pain in the ass, Loki. Help me," she ordered, looking up at him and still fumbling with a clasp.

"Why, Miss Lewis, would I endeavor to assist you? Teasing you is most rewarding."

"Oh, really? Two can play at that game," she told him, narrowing her eyes. Her hands immediately went to the bulge of his soft leather trousers, working him with long, slow strokes and she stared, challengingly, up at him. His jaw clenched but his gaze never wavered. "I can do this alllllllll night, Loki," she murmured, "unless you'll help a girl out."

"So eager," he whispered, almost to himself. He kicked off his boots and did away with his leather tunic before deftly working through the last bonds of his trousers, freeing himself. Without hesitation Darcy took him in her hands, stroking him. His eyes closed for only a moment but opened when he felt her stand and shift, moving him so that she faced the bed and the backs of his knees hit the edge of it. She smiled up at him for only a moment before quickly dropping her skirt to the floor and undoing her green silk halter top and lifting it above her head, revealing her black lacy bra. Loki's large hands immediately went to her breasts and Darcy tilted her head up for a kiss, but Loki dodged her mouth and went for her neck once more.

"All good things to those who wait," his voice rumbled against her neck. She moaned and tilted her head backwards, closing her eyes before she replied.

"What was that you wrote on that note?" Darcy asked huskily, "You were saying something about hardly keeping yourself from imagining... something?" she continued, teasing him. "What was it again? Remind me, Loki."

"Kneel," he growled. He hardly had the word out of his mouth before she was on her knees, taking him in her mouth and watching his eyes roll backwards with pleasure and then reopen suddenly, trying to stay focused. She let him watch her, pleased that he was obviously enjoying the view. After working him for a few short moments she lifted a hand up, pushing him backwards onto the bed and engaged him further with her hands and mouth. She heard the whisper of his pleasured moaning and stopped working him, instead crawling on top of him and kissing him passionately while grinding onto his hardened length, not allowing him to enter her. He returned the kiss, flipping the two of them so that she lay on her back while he towered over her, covering her body with his own.

He kissed the tip of her chin, working his way down her neck and to her lacy bra where he quickly released the clasp on the front of the garment, revealing her breasts. He licked a glistening trail along her pebbled flesh, making her gasp involuntarily when she also felt his fingers trace their way down her curves to her thighs. She moaned and ground into him, feeling the hardness of his length against her skin before she felt him slip his hand beneath her panties and place his index finger directly on her clit, making her stomach do flips. Loki grinned at her reaction and worked slow circles with his finger, building her heat while moving his mouth to her other breast. He teased her with alternating slow and fast rhythms, driving her wild.

"Oh my god, Loki," Darcy breathed, grabbing his chin with her hand and roughly pulling him up to her, catching him by surprise. She kissed him deeply, whispering "faster" onto his lips. Loki took mercy on her and obliged; Darcy didn't last long and came with a shudder, biting his lower lip and moaning. He let her unravel and calm for only a few moments before he shifted, slipping off her panties, kneeling between her legs, and positioning himself at her center.

Loki's intense gaze was met with Darcy's lusty one, and without any warning he slammed into her, filling her completely. He stayed still for a couple of seconds, allowing Darcy to adjust and become comfortable before working a slow, steady rhythm. He leaned down and whispered into her ear.

"You are mine, Darcy," Loki told her, breathing it like an affirmation while all Darcy could think about was the sensation of their bodies together. "You have bewitched me," he mused, thrusting once, "I seek to please only you," he told her, thrusting once more, "and to rule you," he breathed, thrusting more steadily. Her heat built and she closed her eyes, throwing her head backwards, grabbing the sheets, and feeling only the sensation of him as he pumped into her faster. Her center tightened around him as she came with a cry and Loki's thrusts became erratic; he rode out her orgasm before following her over the edge with his own, letting out an erotic guttural sound.

Darcy hooked her legs around his waist and pulled him down on top of her, lightly holding his head to her shoulder and just feeling the weight of him in their post-coital bliss. Loki rolled over onto his back, pulling her in to his side where she lay her head on his chest. He lay a soft kiss on her forehead while stroking her waist with lazy figure eights when Darcy let out a deep, contended sigh.

"Mmmmmm," was all she managed to say and Loki let out a soft laugh before speaking.

"Miss Lewis, I'm afraid we've forgotten something," he told her.

"Hmmmm? Oh, don't worry about that, I'm on the Pill," she said, waving her hand dismissively before letting it land tiredly on his chest.

"Not that," he said, "Although I must admit my relief at your forethought. Even still, we forgot something very important indeed."

"Spit it out, Loki," Darcy ordered, smiling. "It's not like I have this _entire_ weekend to wait... oh hold up, yeah, I do," she smiled once more, rolling her eyes at her own lame joke.

"The RF detector," he said simply, although his tone hinted at the fact that he didn't give a damn who heard them or not. Darcy's eyes widened before she sat straight up.

"Aw, fuck."

* * *

**So at this point this story is about 1/3 of the way done. Still a long way to go, folks. Things are going to happen. **_**Plot**_** things. As always, please review. **

**Also, apparently I have no regard for consistent chapter lengths.**

**A big thanks to a commenter (Inez Kelly) on this website (**** /blog/a-description-of-nipples) ****for help with some descriptions. For some reason I have a super-hard time describing nipples because actually thinking about the word 'nipples' makes me squirm. It's just such an odd-sounding word.**


	10. Chapter 9

Appeal to My Humanity

**Disclaimer: ****Not mine.**

**Take heed, traveler. This tale is ****un-beta'd.**

Chapter 9

True to his word Nick Fury had indeed removed the bugs from Loki's quarters, much to Darcy's great relief. Darcy fell back onto the bed after a quick trip to the bathroom and wrapped one black cotton sheet around her naked body. She rolled to her side, facing Loki, who was coming back into the bedroom after having used the RF detector at Darcy's request. He looked so relaxed that she was almost envious of his languid form as he flopped haphazardly onto the bed, pulling her close to him.

"Finally," Darcy sighed resting her for head on Loki's chest and allowing his arms to envelope her completely.

"Finally?" Loki asked, his quizzical expression unseen by Darcy who had closed her eyes with contentment.

"Yup. We finally, you know, _got together._ You had to have known that I've been attracted to you since we met," Darcy admitted sheepishly, "Why else would you've pursued me so aggressively?"

Loki still, mulling over her surprising words. "I confess I didn't know that. I pursued you because I wanted you."

"And I allowed it because I wanted you too, but..." Darcy started, her voice trailing off. She wasn't sure how she wanted her next words to come out.

"But?" Loki pushed hesitantly.

"But I wasn't kidding when I said I barely know you. We flirt. You tried to destroy my world. You tried to destroy my hometown, before that, but I feel like I hardly know anything about you besides a few short conversations," she told him, fiddling with a corner of the sheet.

"I fear that if you knew anything more about me you would run screaming from this room and I would never see you again. I could not bear to lose you, not when we are just starting... whatever this is," Loki said, swallowing involuntarily with a look on his face that Darcy had never seen before – apprehension.

"Try me. How am I ever going to know you if you don't open up?"

"Darcy, you must understand - I am trying. I am, truly. But to reveal my weaknesses to you would be to seal the promise of your departure from my life. It isn't easy-"

Darcy cut him off. "Loki, you killed a ton of people and were hell-bent on destruction and evil and all that world domination bullshit. It didn't work out. And here I am, in your bed, engaged in _pillow talk _with the God of mischief himself. I'm still here, Loki. However damaged you think you are, I'm still here. I've seen that you're trying and in order for you to try in the first place you have to _want_ to try. I am willing to work with you if you'll just open up. And to be honest, I can't be with you if I don't even know who you are. The whole truth that is Loki – I want it eventually. I don't expect you to spill your guts right now but eventually I'd like to really get to know you."

He held her closer and was silent for almost a full minute. The pregnant pause was deafening to them both, and Darcy was startlingly close to leaving when Loki finally spoke.

"And what would the lady like to know?"

Darcy rolled her eyes. "Anything."

"When I was a child I used to cast enchantments on the frogs in the pond outside in the courtyard. They would all make their way to the castle and hide in Thor's bedroom to scare him. He would-" look he said, before realizing he was openly discussing his brother, his enemy, his childhood friend.

"He would...?" Darcy pressed.

"I would rather not discuss – him."

"You don't have to. But I will say he can fall like a sack of rocks when he's tased," she told him, hoping to pique his interest. It worked.

"You tased him?" Look he asked, a sly look reaching his eyes.

"Sure did. He was freaking me out."

"I confess I find you more appealing the more I learn about you. Tell me, mortal, do you make it a habit of being present when the gods make landfall in your realm?"

"That's a good question. Maybe it's fate," she joked before closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around his torso.

"Nothing is ever set in stone Darcy," Loki said absentmindedly as he felt the coolness of the sheet that separated them. It had been so long since he had just been held. He had forgotten how relaxing and nice it felt.

"Tell me more. Tell me something more recent," she murmured her question into his chest.

"Everything more recent, that is to say anything that had taken place the last thousand years or so, is usually entangled with my so-called family. It is not the best subject to broach considering how much I don't want to ruin this evening," Loki told her. He couldn't let her know everything about him. He hadn't been bluffing when he admitted that she would run screaming from the room if she knew everything there was to tell.

"That's it, we need liquor," Darcy informed him, landing a hard smack on his bare ass and looking up at his face with a wide grin before rolling away from him.

"You'll pay for that, mortal," he warned with his own grin, but his idle threat cause Darcy no alarm. Loki simply lay there, watching her as she began to dress.

"Yeah, yeah, save that mortal stuff for the bedroom," Darcy replied, shimmying into her skirt and clasping her bra back together around her breasts.

"My lady, we are in the bedroom presently," Loki informed her.

"I know that, smart-ass," she laughed, throwing her panties at him and hitting him in the face. He didn't even attempt to block it and they fell innocently to the floor. "We need dinner and liquor. Can you get drunk?" she asked him.

"And why would you need to know that?"

"Oh, no reason," she said, smiling and looking up at the corner of the ceiling much too innocently.

"Well then I see no reason to divulge that little fact," he told her casually, toying with her

"Well then I see no reason to come back here after I go get my things at my apartment," Darcy smiled, challenging him.

"You wouldn't dare, you minx," Loki told her as he narrowed his eyes.

"Wouldn't I?" Darcy asked cocking her head to one side. "I need to get my clothes for this weekend and I can pick up some dinner while I'm out. But I need to know if you can get drunk before I go," she said before slipping on her green halter top.

Loki sighed as he looked at her. "Yes, Darcy, I can get drunk. But I should warn you that it is very difficult," he informed her, wondering to himself if divulging that secret would land him in any kind of trouble. So long as Darcy stayed with him for the weekend he found that it took a monumental effort for him to even pretend to care.

"Great! Then I'll be back in an hour or so," Darcy said with a mischievous grin. She looked over at Loki from her place in the doorway. "Can you walk a girl to the door?"

Loki got out of bed immediately and followed her, naked, to the front of his quarters where he helped her into her blazer and opened the door for her. Darcy looked out into the hallway with an alarmed expression, hoping that no one would see them. They were blissfully alone; however, she did linger at the doorway as he gave her a deep passionate kiss.

"Are you forgetting something?" Loki asked, "Maybe a few somethings?"

"What?" Darcy asked. Loki looked pointedly down at Darcy's bare legs and then back up at her.

"Oh my pantyhose? And my panties? Yeah, I don't think I'll be needing those for a one hour trip," She told him while tossing him a sly smile, turning around, and sashaying away from him. She knew he was staring after her ass as she walked away.

Darcy approached the guard she had met the first night that she came to see Loki. He glanced up at her with a slightly surprised look on his face, but said nothing when he saw that she was walking his way.

"Hey," Darcy started, as she peeked down at his name tag, "Mike. I have a question for you. What's the policy on allowing liquor past you guys?"

Mike answered, "Are you working?"

"Nope, I'm a nine-to-fiver. I'll just be in Loki's quarters all weekend," Darcy said keeping her head held high as she spoke. Her steady gaze pierced through him, daring him to say anything about the seemingly taboo relationship.

"You're allowed to bring liquor past us if you're not working," Mike informed her, "you need to keep it in the residential portion of the building; it can't go past any of the Level Four security doors."

"Thanks a bunch, Mike," Darcy told him flashing him a dazzling smile and continuing out the doors of the building.

The guards sat in silence for only a moment before one of them turned to Mike. "Wasn't she wearing pantyhose earlier?"

x

X

x

Loki heard a knock on his door just over an hour later. He opened it, surprised to find that Darcy had help and that her arms were full.

"Oh thank god you have clothes on," Darcy told him, pushing past him and stepping into the foyer.

"Yes, thank god," he replied dryly.

"Oh, don't be like that. Would you grab that box from Mike?" Darcy asked, disappearing behind the wall that separated the kitchen and the foyer. She set down a duffel bag full of clothing and toiletries along with a plastic bag that contained boxes of their evening meal. Loki peered into the hallway to find the guard that Darcy had referred to as "Mike" standing there, looking as apprehensive about the entire situation as Loki felt. Mike handed Loki a box that appeared to be filled to the brim with nothing but different types of alcohol, causing Loki's eyes to widen as he shot a quick glance back at Darcy.

"Exactly how drunk were you planning on getting, Miss Lewis?" Loki asked, ignoring the guard who was looking anywhere but inside Loki's quarters.

"_We_, Loki. _We_ are getting drunk tonight. And just how drunk depends on you," Darcy called from the kitchen. She popped her head out from the kitchen and looked at the guard. "Thanks a million, Mike. I owe you one."

With that the guard left, Loki closing the door behind him and turning to look at Darcy. "Were all of these bottles really necessary?"

"You said it was hard to get you drunk. I was just covering all of my bases," she replied, a hint of glee in her voice. "Now why don't you set up dinner for us while I go stash my things in your room?"

At the mention of food Loki realized just how hungry he had been. He hadn't eaten anything since lunch and quickly set to portioning out servings of rice pilaf, Greek salad and lamb for the two of them. He set the hummus and pita bread between their two plates and waited for Darcy's return before beginning his meal. He ate what was on his plate and took a second helping, knowing that the food in his stomach would slow the effects of the alcohol and he would be able to keep control of the situation for that much longer. When they were done with their meal, Darcy and Loki washed their dishes together. When they had completed that task Darcy walked to the box of liquor and picked out a tall, thin bottle with a clear liquid inside. Loki turned to Darcy with his eyes narrowed, his face masking the suspicion and apprehension that he felt.

"Pick your poison," Darcy ordered, motioning toward the box full of different-colored liquids, "Have you ever played Questions?" Darcy asked him, opening the bottle of vodka for herself and pouring half a shot into a glass.

"I cannot say that I have," Loki told her, his apprehension only building. He held out a shot glass to Darcy for her to fill it with the vodka she had in her hand, but she shook her head.

"I don't think so. You're drinking out of this," she said, pulling out an eight-ounce drinking glass from the cupboard. "'Difficult to get drunk', my ass," she muttered, almost to herself. "I guess we'll find out tonight, won't we?" she asked, pouring him a god-sized shot of the liquor before putting the cap back on the bottle.

"Questions is kind of like 'Truth or Dare' but without the dare. Not that you know what 'Truth or Dare' even is, but just know that I know you would have never asked for 'truth' if I got you playing _that_ one."

Loki gave her a blank stare – it was clear that all of this was going over his head.

"Alrighty, so, 'Questions' is usually played with a group of people, but it'll work for us two just fine. We can flip a coin to see who goes first, but one of us will be the questioner and the other will be the answerer. You have to ask a question, and you have to answer it in only one word without hesitation. If you hesitate or if you answer in more than one word, you have to take a shot. Then when that turn is over we switch, and it goes on until... well, until it ends, I guess. Are you game?"

"Have I a choice?" Loki asked, arching one delicate brow as he took her in.

"Of course you have a choice. You don't have to play if you're scared. I'll just put all of this away and we can watch another movie or something," she said, goading him.

"I never said I was frightened. I merely worry for your pride, and how badly you will feel when I obliterate you during the course of this evening. I am game, my lady," he said, drinking the entire contents of his glass in one swift gulp. "I'll even give you a head start."

"You did not just trash talk me, Loki," Darcy said, smiling. "That's more like it."

The coin toss determined that Darcy would be asking the first question. The two of them sat on the couch with their drinks in hand.

"I'll start off with something easy. What was your first kiss like?" Darcy asked, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

"Awkward. How many lovers have you had?" Look he asked, attempting to appear nonchalant.

"Eight. Have you ever been in love before?" Darcy asked.

"No. What is your favorite time of day?" Loki asked.

"Twilight. What is your favorite season?" Darcy asked, fingering the half-shot in her hand.

"Winter. What did you want to grow up to be when you were a child?" Loki asked.

"Happy. What did _you_ want to grow up to be when you were a child?" Darcy asked.

Loki hesitated. "King," he said finally.

"Aha! You have to take a drink," Darcy told him, smiling, "you didn't answer immediately."

Loki downed his second glass full of vodka. He poured himself another as he thought of a new question for Darcy. "What's your favorite position in bed?" Loki asked, steering the conversation away from such heavy topics while mentally berating himself for asking the damn question first.

"Doggie-style, for sure," Darcy answered, before taking a voluntary shot from her own glass for answering in more than one word. "Totally worth it."

The two went back and forth for well over an hour, both becoming steadily more inebriated. Darcy learned that Loki had been afraid of lightning bugs as a child, that it took him about 2,500 years to learn the sorcery he already knew (and he hadn't learned everything there was to know yet, even) and that his mother was his favorite family member. Loki learned that Darcy had three older brothers along with a set of parents who couldn't care less what she did with her life (she took a drink explaining that one), she had read over 500 books in her short 23-year lifespan, and that her favorite place in the world was a forest she had visited with her family in California when she was a child.

Darcy had started cutting her liquor with water at one point, explaining to Loki that she didn't want to get "shit-faced", a term that Loki took to mean "mind-numbingly inebriated." Before Loki even argued with her Darcy explained that he wouldn't want to take care of her in the morning if she drank too much more.

Darcy held her drink lazily in her hand, leaning back onto the the arm of the couch and placing a bare foot on Loki's lap.

"You will rub my feet, Loki," she ordered before setting her drink down on the coffee table, resting her head back on the armrest and closing her eyes. She was surprised to find that he actually went for it, kneading her arches in a manner that was positively heavenly. Loki watched her, amazed at how content she seemed to be in his presence – it had been well over a thousand years since any being who wasn't family had voluntarily spent any amount of time with him and actually seemed to find it enjoyable, and much to his surprise he found that he had missed it. It was a welcome change from the hostility and mistrust that usually met him, whether it was deserved or not. Darcy switched her feet without warning, tucking the already-rubbed foot under him to keep it warm.

"A girl could get used to this," she said absentmindedly, stretching her arms above her head and arching her back in an almost cat-like manner. Loki openly watched her body move beneath her clothing, appreciating the view. "If you keep doing that I'm going to fall asleep. What time is it?" Darcy asked.

"About 10:00," Loki answered. Darcy took her foot back and sat up.

"Oh, that's not so bad for a Friday night. We should go to bed," Darcy suggested. She stood and began clearing the half-dozen empty bottles from the coffee table.

"Bed? I thought you said that wasn't so bad for a Friday night," Loki remarked, standing and helping her clear the bottles and glasses as well. She set the bottles into the recycling bin in the kitchen and gave him a sly smirk.

"I said bed, not sleep. And you'll have to catch me if you want to play," she said, catching him off-guard as she dashed from the kitchen toward the bedroom, leaving him alone with an armful of glass bottles and wondering how she was able to run so quickly in her tipsy state. A thrill of excitement ran through him as he dropped the bottles with a clash into the recycling bin before running after her, an involuntary smile on his face.

He sprang through the open bedroom door to find an empty room, but the en suite bathroom light was on with the door closed. He approached it and knocked gingerly, waiting for an answer. When none came, he knocked louder, and he finally opened the bathroom door to find it empty. Before he had the opportunity to turn around, Darcy, who had been hiding behind the open bedroom door, pinched his ass and ran as fast as she could out of the bedroom, giggling with glee and Loki hot on her heels.

Loki finally overtook her after a quick game of cat-and-mouse that ended with the two of them on the living room floor. He had her wrists pinned above her head with one hand while he worked her halter top off with his free hand and his teeth, her heat rising with every touch. Darcy felt the weight of him as he wedged one knee and then two between hers, rendering her immobile under his grasp. His movements were urgent as he unclasped her bra, claiming her exposed flesh with quickly his mouth and eliciting a sensuous moan from her lips. She ground her hips into his, feeling his hardness through his leather trousers and pulling a moan from his own lips.

Loki gave her breast a light bite, moving his head downward to graze his lips over her exposed stomach before dipping his head between her legs and releasing her hands. He pushed her skirt up and found to his delight that she was still not wearing any panties, a fact that Loki took advantage of when his tongue went to work. Her hands tangled in his hair as she arched her back and closed her eyes, bucking her hips into him occasionally. She felt the pressure of one long finger, then two, enter her; his silver tongue continued its dance as he pumped his fingers into her rhythmically, getting incrementally faster. When Darcy came undone with a sharp cry Loki offered no mercy and continued working her, prolonging her orgasm and causing waves of pleasure to shake through her until she begged him to stop.

"Lo- Loki, ohmygodnomore," she breathed, turning into a puddle when he finally showed clemency and removed his mouth and hand from her center. He leaned over her, seizing her lips in a feverish kiss and grinding himself between her legs. With one fluid motion he flipped her onto her stomach, raising them both up to a kneeling position with her back to his front. Darcy leaned her head back against Loki's shoulder as he worked her breasts with his hands, leaving teasing bites on her neck.

He removed the top half of his own clothing between kisses and freed himself from his trousers, gently easing Darcy down on all fours before entering her in one fluid motion. Darcy gasped as his length entered her, arching her back and pushing backwards into him, allowing him deeper access. Loki wrapped Darcy's hair around one of his hands, and, with a firm but comfortable grasp on her hair he drove into her center roughly with his hips. He slowed immediately, alternating between fast and agonizingly slow thrusts, building her second orgasm. He gained speed when Darcy's gasps became sharp and uneven and pushed into her with long, fast strokes until they both came together.

Loki pulled Darcy up to him, and, while they were both still on their knees, he embraced her from behind where they stayed in the dimmed lighting for several long moments. He slipped out of her and helped her rise from the floor on her shaky legs, not bothering to pick up their clothes before heading to the bedroom.

After Darcy cleaned herself up in the bathroom she joined Loki in bed, rolling into him on her side until they were spooning. Within minutes Darcy had fallen asleep and Loki simply watched her shoulders rise and fall with each breath. He draped one lazy hand around her waist and, just before drifting off to sleep, Loki wondered to himself if he would have ever considered such bliss to be possible a scant year ago.

* * *

**Thanks for continuing to read, guys :) Reviews are always loved and appreciated.**


	11. Chapter 10

Appeal to My Humanity

******Sorry for the insanely long time between this update and the last - all I can say is that life kicked me in the balls for a while. I should be back to updating on Fuck Yeah Friday (almost every Friday) starting immediately. Follow me on Tumblr to get my Fuck Yeah Friday updates.**

**No beta's were used in the making of this fic.**

**Watch for falling Wikipedia searches, because I'm not a physicist and I don't really care enough to actually figure out all that spacey, timey-whimey stuff.**

Chapter 10

The following weeks were a blur to Darcy, comprised of work, conversations with the god of mischief, and lots of fabulous sex. In fact, she had been so focused on the excitement of her developing relationship with Loki that Darcy realized she had been practically ignoring Jane. It was with that realization in mind that she approached Jane mid-day on a Friday to see if she wanted to hang out at some point.

"Sure," Jane confirmed, giving Darcy a wide smile, "I know you and Loki over there have been... busy, so I didn't want to encroach."

"Wow, have we really been that obvious?" Darcy asked, and Jane responded with an amused look that screamed, 'you're joking, right?"

"I think I figured it out somewhere between and the ass grab and the wink last week, actually," Jane told her matter-of-factly and returned to her work. Darcy rolled her eyes and didn't even care enough to blush – she was ecstatic that Jane already knew and didn't seem to really care about her budding relationship with the youngest Odinson.

That weekend Jane and Darcy brought takeout up to Darcy's apartment as the two sat on the couch, perusing novels with a muted Doctor Who rerun playing in the background. Jane flipped through an old leather-bound book while Darcy worked her way through a carton of chow mein, absently watching the television.

"Traveling through space and time are supposed to be like the same thing, right?" Darcy asked Jane, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Not exactly. Why do you ask?" Jane answered, looking up from her book.

"I'm bored and the TARDIS distracted me. How close are we to completing the wormhole thing?" Darcy asked, stemming from the original subject of conversation. A tenuous look of warmth crossed Jane's face, as though she were thinking of an old friend.

"It's almost there. It's one of the most frustrating experiences of my life, but we're close. We're _really_ close," Jane told her, unable to contain her grin, "And it's going to be amazing."

"What's it going to be like?" Darcy asked.

"To travel through it?"

"Yeah."

"It should be instantaneous. Theoretically it's like stepping through a door. But you _could_ travel through the Einstein rosenbridge and come back in seconds for you and years for everyone else. There's some debate about how it works and it's all theory, but... worlds are built on theories," Jane finished, looking wistfully through the front window into the night sky.

"Horrifying theoretical implications aside, who would be testing it first? And is SHIELD powering this thing? I thought we needed something like the Tesseract to make it work" Darcy asked, fishing a piece of water chestnut from her carton.

"Tony Stark is actually building an arc reactor to power it; I'm just hoping it will provide enough energy to get there and back. And I haven't decided on who will test it first, actually. I was thinking about just going through it myself," Jane said, keeping a sudden wary eye on Darcy for her reaction.

"Test it yourself," Darcy repeated, "Jane, you can't be serious." The physicist looked down at her fingers fiddling with her chopsticks. "Jane," Darcy repeated. "That's beyond dangerous - that's downright reckless. There are a million things that can go wrong – what if the calculations are off even a little bit? Couldn't you end up in the middle of space, turned inside out or frozen or whatever the hell happens to you when you're floating around out there?"

"I could, but... I'm not wrong, Darce. In fact, the only thing that really is _stable_ about this process are the calculations themselves – we know for certain that those are accurate. It's just getting there that will be a bit of a gamble. Besides, all the best scientists try out their own inventions on themselves first," Jane added on a triumphant note.

Darcy smiled, 'While I have absolutely no doubt that you're right, I still worry about you. If you die testing this thing out I'll kill you."

"I'm not going to even begin to try to understand that logic," Jane sighed contentedly, turning back to her book. The pair read into the early hours of the morning, the turning of their pages was the only sound that broke the companionable silence.

x

X

x

Loki lay awake in his darkened room, staring at the ceiling and finding himself surprised and unsurprised all at once to be missing Darcy. This was the first night in a week that she hadn't warmed his bed and her absence was a hollowed, deafening silence that was inescapable. As he tossed and turned, he realized that he couldn't remember a time when he had yearned for another person so deeply. What he wouldn't give to hear her witty quips or constant questions about his past, unwelcome as they may be.

As the minutes ticked away, Loki assessed his current situation. Banished to a godforsaken planet whose inhabitants were scarcely more intelligent than bilgesnipe. Relatively powerless. Infatuated with a girl who was no more extraordinary than any other, yet she had become irreplaceable to him.

Loki grimaced involuntarily into the darkness as he realized that he was becoming his brother.

His mind darted to the months he spent walking the void between worlds, making slippery deals with Thanos and his servant, the Other. Loki recalled the time with a kind of mild revulsion, knowing that his actions during that period had been rash to say the least and he felt an unexpected pang of regret – the first he had felt for someone other than himself in at least a thousand years – when he heard the chain around his neck shatter.

Loki gasped as he felt the thrum of his old powers coursing through his veins. His hand fumbled at his neck in disbelief for purchase on the metal menace, but it was nowhere to be found. A grin slowly spread across his face as he sat up in his bed looking in the darkness at his own hands. He reached his mind out around the room, ensuring that it in fact was still free of spy equipment, before allowing a familiar blue orb of glowing light pass from one hand to the other. He tried to remain calm as myriad emotions assaulted him – he was somewhere between sheer delight and a smothering apprehension, and the stark contrast of the two were a knife in his lungs as he struggled to catch his breath for the suddenness of it all.

Loki thought for a moment about his best course of action. He could level SHIELD headquarters, thereby annihilating one source of his displeasure with this planet. He dismissed that thought as quickly as it came, realizing that his heart simply wasn't in it. Loki considered the fact that Heimdall probably already knew about the return of his powers and that his mother _certainly_ knew. They would be watching him even more closely than they already had been and he knew he had to be very careful about the way he handled this new turn of events. After everything was said and done, he wanted to return to his home world as soon as possible.

And then there was Darcy.

Loki carefully turned over in his mind what this unexpected turn of events meant for her. SHIELD would not be pleased that he was no longer as weak as a common human, and he had not one fleeting doubt that they would use her to control him if they were to discover that his powers had returned. If he were to leave this realm and never return, she would surely be tracked, monitored, and even imprisoned as bait in case he should ever come back – he wouldn't expect anything less from SHIELD – and her life would be ruined. Darcy, so warm and accepting, used and controlled because of him. She had grown to trust him somehow, despite his status, despite his questionable past.

The only option available was to keep his powers completely concealed from all. It would be his own delicious secret, the reserve he could turn to if absolutely all else were to fail. He conjured a quick corporeal replica to replace the broken necklace to avoid any aroused suspicions. Loki sighed and relaxed, allowing himself with no small amount of effort to drift off to sleep.

It was the best rest he had had in centuries.

x

X

x

"You're in a good mood today," Jane noted aloud to Loki, taking in his easy smile and uncharacteristic laughter with Darcy. Where he was usually so solemn and withdrawn, he was actually chatting openly with Jane about something _other_ than work.

"Yeah, you're coming out of your shell a little bit there. Better watch yourself or you'll ruin that reputation," Darcy chimed, taking a sip of her coffee. Darcy gave him a long look before retreating back to her desk where he followed her.

"Lunch today?" he asked, leaning against her desk and taking care not to knock over her coffee.

"Do you really even need to ask at this point?" she responded as she looked up at him. She studied his face and her brows knit together. "Everything all right?"

"Remember who you're talking to, darling. That is a loaded question," he jested without a tone of his usual sullen darkness.

Darcy rolled her eyes and went back to work for a few more hours before the pair went to lunch together. The two sat at their normal table and shared a lunch that Darcy had packed for them both. When they finished Loki leaned back and simply looked at Darcy. She looked back at him and started to blush, looking at him quizzically.

"Um, everything all right?" she finally asked.

"It is difficult," he said finally, for me to believe that all of this has been more than just an odd dream. It was not long ago that I would not have allowed any sort of authority to pretend to have power over me, let alone followed the orders of mortals. And yet here I sit, allowing them to invade my privacy and tell me what I will do with my day," he mused without any tone of bitterness in his voice. In fact, Darcy thought, he sounded mystified.

And then Loki began to laugh. Loudly. He was eliciting stares from everyone in the dining hall, including none other than Natasha Romanov and Clint Barton, who were being rung up for a couple of waters by the cashier.

"What's so funny?" Darcy asked as Loki wiped tears from his eyes. His laughter died a slow, laborious death as he looked at her.

"What is so amusing, my lady, is that I am actually finding the result of my imprisonment to be enjoyable. Against all odds and logic."

"Oh?" Darcy asked. Hawkeye and the Widow were still glancing occasionally over at herself and Loki. "You don't miss your magic?"

At that, Loki gave a dark, throaty chuckle, "Not having access to my powers has granted me the opportunity to focus on myself, of fitting into this universe. To look within my being and decide what I want, what makes me happy," he answered carefully.

"And what makes you happy, oh prince of darkness?" she purred playfully. Loki arched an eyebrow at her choice of nickname but didn't comment on it.

"You."

Darcy flushed slightly at the compliment. "Loki, I like you. I do. But you hardly know me. You're forced to be here and you've been forced to work with me. I almost feel like I'm taking advantage of your situation. It's not like you have a whole lot of other options around here."

"And that, my darling, is the funny thing about fate. Had I not done what I did to this city we would not be conversing right now. I would still be in Asgard, stuck in an ivory tower surrounded by beings who are forced to be pleasant to my face because of my birth and status. I have had options, Darcy. I have had women throw themselves at me because of who my father is, because of who my _brother_ is," he spat. "And yet here you are, accepting me for who I am all the while knowing of my darkness within. You astound me."

Darcy was stunned. She blinked a few times before giving him a dazzling smile. "That was really sweet, Loki."

"I know," he agreed, the amusement in his eyes dancing wickedly.

"Oh what_ever_," she laughed, smacking him on the arm. As the pair left the cafeteria together, Loki was acutely aware of the two pairs of eyes watching them.

x

X

x

"Absolutely not," Nick Fury proclaimed firmly, glaring his eye at Darcy.

"Why? I thought you were supposed to be giving him more and more freedoms. He's been a good boy and you have to let him out of the building at _some_ point – why not let him move in with me? I'll keep a close eye on him for you," Darcy argued, her words falling unconvincing on even her own ears.

"We actually don't _have_ to do anything, let alone let him wander around the city where literally every person on the street knows his face, Miss Lewis. No amount of your prodding is going to change my mind on this one."

Darcy sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The rough bastard had a point.

"Thank you for your time," Darcy told him crisply, standing to leave the office. As she got to the doorway his voice stopped her in her tracks,

"Keep up... whatever it is you're doing to him," Nick told her.

"Will do," she called behind her. She was angry at Nick but even angrier with herself for acting so childish - _"How did you think that was going to turn out?" _she asked herself, _"Hey boss, can me and my homicidal, reformed demigod boyfriend move in together? Yes? Super!"_ She understood Nick's point of view which made her even angrier with herself.

She returned to the lab and only Loki's head looked up from his and Jane's research as she entered the room. Darcy sat at her desk chair and stared at her screen for a moment, composing herself and attempting to shake her own embarrassment before facing Loki, who had had no idea that she was meeting with Nick in the first place. She hadn't even run the thought by Loki first; she had just left the lab on an impulse and was surprised to find that Nick's office door was open, so she went in and laid out her idea. She did gain one thing, though – finding out that Nick seemed to truly approve of her relationship with Loki made her feel surprisingly more relaxed about the entire situation. She felt like she had been holding her breath for ages and just now she was finally able to let it out – knowing that they weren't going to be forcibly separated by anyone at SHIELD anytime soon was a good feeling. Between anxiousness and relaxation, Darcy was going to choose relaxation.

She hadn't heard Loki's approach behind her at all, she just felt him lean a hand on her desk. She looked up at his face which was full of concern.

"Everything all right?" he asked quietly.

"Sure. Are we hanging out tonight?" Darcy asked him, changing the subject as fast as she could. Loki stared at her for a moment; he picked up on her evasion but made no comment on it.

"Of course," he confirmed. They went about the rest of their day in silence, both Loki and Darcy unable to shake the uneasy feeling that the other was keeping something from them.

x

X

x

It was twilight when the messenger came, bleeding and sputtering, requesting to see the king at once. Thor Odinson had been in the courtyard with Frigga discussing her returned powers when a servant had rushed to him to tell him the news. Thor ran into the palace with not one ounce of a regal air; rather, he seemed to have already been expecting some sort of disastrous news.

He laid his eyes upon the scene before him in the throne room – a tall, thin, blonde man lay on the cold stone floor, dark red blood beginning to pool beneath him. The Asgardian's eyes widened with recognition.

"Jafnhárr," Thor started, and the dying Light Elf cut him off.

"Thor, you must... you must prepare for a great battle," Jafnhárr told him, his eyes fluttering. He re-opened them with pronounced effort, fighting to stay conscious. Sif and the Warriors Three hurried into the throne room, approaching the visitor slowly. "We had no w-warning. His power was unpara...paralleled," the Light Elf continued, coughing up a sickening stream of blood that crept down his cheek and into his hair.

Thor looked grimly up at his mother and they exchanged the looks of people who had just confirmed a great, terrible knowledge. Thor took Jafnhárr's bloodied, pale hand and held it in his own.

"He is c-coming he-here," the elf told him. "The – the mad... titan," Jafnhárr breathed, fading fast. Thor opened his mouth to speak when Frigga put a hand on his shoulder, shaking her head. They both looked upon the face of the dying Elf as he closed his eyes for the last time and his body faded slowly away into nothingness. The Asgardians were looking at nothing but a pile of clothing and a pool of blood on the cold throne room floor.

Thor looked slowly up at Sif, the Warriors Three, and Frigga. There was much to be discussed and little time in which to discuss it.


	12. Chapter 11

Appeal to My Humanity

**Heeeeeeeeey, it's an update. A million thanks to my readers and reviewers. Although I didn't reply to everyone, please know that I read and appreciate every last review. I'm also overwhelmed with how many of you guys have favorited and followed; you guys make my little heart leap. **

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**No beta's were used in the making of this fic.**

Chapter 11

"He said, 'The Mad Titan' – that could only be Thanos," Sif called as she jumped onto her steed, shooting ahead of Thor and the Warriors-Three as they raced after her towards Heimdall's post. The four men rode in silence down the shimmering Rainbow Bride to find the giant golden god awaiting their approach – Thor slowed and stopped, jumping off of his steed and turning to Heimdall.

"Is it true?" was all Thor asked. His mouth was set in a hard line of grim determination.

"It is Thanos," Heimdall confirmed, his expression never wavering, "He has obliterated the north palace of Alfheim."

A puzzled look crossed Thor's face. "The north palace only?" Thor asked.

"Everything else was left untouched."

"What was he looking for?" Volstagg interjected.

"That I could not say," Heimdall responded.

"There are several relics under Alfheim's protection, many of which are contained within the vaults of the north palace. The only link between relics stored on Alfheim and those within our own vault are the Infinity Gems. There are six of them scattered throughout the universe," Thor said, crossing his arms and looking out into the universe at a million twinkling lights. He looked up from his deep thoughts at Heimdall.

"This is what you saw coming," Thor stated. It was not a question.

"It is. Thanos was able to mask his identity from me. His sorcery rivals that of your brother's; I could feel the ill intent but could not discern from whom it came," Heimdall said. He turned his gaze over the broken Rainbow Bridge and looked back into the vast expanse before him.

"Speaking of my brother, what news?" Thor asked, "how fare he and the lady Darcy?"

"Thor," Sif chastised, "this is hardly the time to collect family gossip." Volstagg and Hogun said nothing; Fandral nodded in agreement with Sif.

"He has not attempted to mask himself from me since he regained his powers," Heimdall told Thor, ignoring Sif and answering a direct question from his king. "He and the girl are faring better than you had anticipated and the queen had hoped. However, he has not been forthright with the lady Darcy regarding his powers' return."

"And he continues to assist in lady Jane's research?" asked Thor.

"Aye."

"This is good news," Thor remarked, wondering to himself if his brother had truly changed or if this would be a temporary phase. He let his mind wander for only a moment; he had a kingdom to protect and he had only the most fleeting of chances to ponder the wayward prince.

Thor took in a deep breath and turned to the four warriors- he was met with their own determined, steady gazes. "We mus rally the people and prepare our troops. Come," Thor called, climbing back onto his steed and beginning the ride back to the castle, his friends following closely behind.

x

X

x

Darcy stepped into Loki's quarters without knocking; he had been expecting her and they now had an open door policy with one another's personal space. She even had her own drawer for extra clothing and items when she spent the night in his quarters on work nights. She set her bag down and walked into the kitchen to find Loki, shirtless, preparing their dinner. Darcy took a seat on a bar stool and watched him, leaning her elbows on the counter and inhaling the scent of the meal he was arranging. Loki said nothing as he continued to work steadily when Darcy spoke up.

"How long has it been since you were sent here?"

Loki looked up for only a moment before returning his attention to the pan and spatula in his hand. "Approximately one year, perhaps one year and one half. I lost count after being in confinement with no access to any distraction for several months, and I was not introduced to yourself and Jane until several months after first I requested a book."

"And all this time we've been working non-stop on the Bifrost project. I need a break," Darcy admitted. Loki dropped the spatula and stared forward into nothing, his eyes held a blank, strange expression. Darcy looked closely at him and watched as he paled; she gasped as she realized what he thought she meant. "No, no! Not a break from us!" she exclaimed, motioning between the two of them with her hands. "A break from this! From work, Loki. I'm saying we should take a vacation. Its been a long time since I've had a getaway of any kind and I'm burnt out. I'd like to take it with you if you want to come with me."

Loki exhaled deeply and picked up the spatula, washing it with soap and water before returning to his cooking.

"Are you okay?" Darcy asked. Loki plated their dinner in silence as she watched, taking hers when he handed it to her. Loki took a seat on the bar stool next to her and placed a hand on her knee.

"A vacation is an excellent idea," he stated. It was Darcy's turn to exhale.

"Oh my god, Loki. You had me scared to death for a second. I can't believe you actually thought I was breaking up with you!" she said, a smile on her face.

"You were acting very strangely today," Loki said. It was a simple sentence that spoke volumes and Darcy threw her arms around his neck with such force that he almost toppled off of the bar stool. She showered his face with kisses and he heard a faint giggle escape from her throat. "What is so funny, young lady? And why _were_ you behaving so oddly today?" he asked between kisses.

"_You_ are so funny, actually. And I'm pretty embarrassed about why I was acting weird today, but I might as well just come out with it. I went to see Nick today to ask him if he could move you into my apartment, and he shot me down. I was acting weird because I didn't know how you would feel about it in the first place, and even talking about it now is making me kind of squirmy especially when you keep looking at me like that." Darcy told him quietly. She watched his face carefully for his reaction but it held no expression. "So... What are you thinking?"

Loki was silent as he regarded the woman before him and her words. He stood from the barstool and placed his hands on either of Darcy's arms, looking into her eyes intently and drawing a deep breath. "I am honored that you would even consider it, Darcy."

"I love you," Darcy blurted out. Loki's eyes widened for a fraction of a moment before softening, and Darcy kissed him deeply. The frustration and apprehension of the day seemed to melt away as the lovers embraced one another. Loki broke the kiss and held Darcy's face in his hands.

"Darcy, I-"

She cut him off. "You don't have to say it back," she said quickly. "I have very strong, very human feelings for you. I get that you've been around for a long time and you might not feel the same way, but I've never been one to hide my feelings and this time is no different."

"I was going to say, you impatient twit, that I love you as well," Loki responded, smiling. Before Darcy was able to say another word Loki claimed her mouth in a bruising kiss, tangling his fingers in her hair and taking her breath away. "Since the day first we met you have captured my interest," he breathed into her ear. As she remained seated on the bar stool he placed himself between her legs and dipped his head down to the sweet spot on her neck, drawing an erotic gasp from her lips. "And here I am, a slave to your indulgences. I would do anything for you, Darcy. Anything. Name it, and it shall be yours."

"More," she managed to breathe out, grinding against his bulge and eliciting a growl from him.

"As you wish," said Loki, and in one fluid motion he threw her over his shoulder with a delighted shriek of surprise from Darcy. He brought her swiftly into the bedroom, tossing her unceremoniously upon the bed. Before he could make another move, she propped herself up on both elbows.

"Pants," she told him, looking him up and down. He knelt to begin working at hers, but she slapped his hand away. "Not mine. Yours," she ordered. There was no hesitation as his deft fingers made short work of his trousers. Within seconds he stood before her, naked and staring down at her, a dark look of hungry arousal dominating his features.

"You are wearing an astounding amount of clothing," Loki observed aloud, immediately causing heat to rise deep within her.

"You're the big bad sorcerer. Why don't you do something about it?" Darcy dared, and almost before she was able to complete the question he was on her, working at her blouse, when she noticed that her skirt was already gone within him having touched it. She almost mentioned it when Loki placed his lips firmly on hers, one hand behind her head and the other reaching down to begin working her clit through her panties, which caused all thoughts to evaporate completely from her distracted mind.

Before Darcy could blink she realized that she, too, was completely nude but couldn't recall when Loki had worked her bra off, or gotten her stockings off of her for that matter. Confused, Darcy stopped momentarily and looked at Loki as he kissed his way down her body when his head stopped between her legs. Their eyes met as he began to work her with his mouth and she couldn't remain focused on the source of her confusion. He began the rhythm slowly, building the heat within her, that by the time he began to work her with his fingers she unraveled in seconds, clutching the sheets and switching from breathing his name to making indecipherable sounds of wanton pleasure.

He allowed her to rest for only seconds before climbing atop her, allowing his mouth to claim a breast and an arm to wrap around her waist. He positioned himself at her center and did not wait for her go-ahead before sheathing himself within her. Their eyes met and Darcy was taken aback and thoroughly aroused all at once to see Loki's animalistic visage drinking her in with only his eyes. He leaned his head down to bite her neck as he worked his hips, pumping into her, faster and faster. He listened for the hitching of her breath and took the signals from her body – he would not allow himself to hurtle toward the edge until he had satisfied her once more. Only when she tightened around him did he allow himself sweet release as he followed, collapsing atop her as they both breathed in the heady scent of their lovemaking.

Their dinner sat untouched, cold and forgotten, on the kitchen counter.

x

X

x

"Nick, we need a vacay," Darcy stated, her voice even.

"All right," Fury answered without skipping a beat, continuing to type up an e-mail and not looking in Darcy's direction. She shifted in her seat as she waited for him to say 'but'. When he didn't say it, she continued.

"I mean me and Loki. Together. Getting away from here for a week, preferably two," she clarified, wary at his agreeable attitude.

"I know what you meant, Miss Lewis, and yes, you two can go. Have fun. Just know that we're assigning agents to your detail and there's no negotiation on that matter," Fury continued to type. Darcy gaped at him for a moment, taken completely aback at the fact that it was too easy to convince him.

"What's the catch?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"The catch is that you have to bring me back a souvenir," he answered. He stopped typing and looked up at her, giving her an almost-smile. "You two have been working hard and _you_ have time on the books for it. I would never hear the end of it from HR if I refused you time that you've earned. And contrary to popular belief SHIELD isn't solely faceless, over-lording company – when we keep our agents and our associates happy, work gets done. So you two go and have a good time."

"Which agents?"

"You mean which agents will be maintaining watch over our highest-profile alien prince prisoner whose kingly brother holds the key to the most powerful technology Earth has ever seen? Let me think... oh, right, our best agents. Romanov and Barton," Nick told her, and Darcy felt suddenly childish for asking in the first place.

"Thanks, Nick, I really appreciate it. And you know what? I don't care what Agent Coulson says about you, you're a great guy," Darcy joked as Agent Coulson entered the office, looking up only at his name with his even look of amusement. She gave a dazzling smile to both men as she left the office, heading back down to the lab to tell Loki the good news.

Later that evening Darcy was sitting cross-legged on his bed, looking at vacation destinations on her laptop. Her glasses sat atop the bridge of her nose as she scrolled through dozens of websites, unable to choose.

"Ooooh, how about Fiji?" Darcy called to Loki who was in the shower.

"Is it hot?" Loki called over the jet of the shower.

"It's not known for being cold," Darcy called back, "So no hot places at all?" Darcy heard the shower shut off and Loki grabbed a towel, wrapping it around his waist before entering the bedroom.

"I'm not partial to heat in general. I recall the Scandinavian countries to be quite cool – are they still the same? It has been many centuries since I have visited," said Loki, sitting on the bed and peering over Darcy's shoulder to look at the screen. She shifted to allow him a better view.

"I can't imagine why you'd want to go to a region where they worshiped you as a god," Darcy smirked, pulling up various pages on Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and skimming them.

"I am a god," Loki replied.

"I hate to shrink that ego of yours, but you're an alien," Darcy stated matter-of-factly, and continued speaking before Loki could answer, "According to this website they have temperate climates, so it wouldn't be too hot or too cold. Do you want to go there? I don't care where the hell we go as long as I get to stay in a nice hotel and take in some new culture."

"Pick one of the three and we'll journey forth," he replied, laying back and letting his towel fall off of himself. Darcy ignored his blatant nudity.

"We'll journey forth," she responded, imitating his accent with a grin. She continued to stare at the laptop screen. "They all look like we'd have a good time, I can't really choose. Okay, how about..." Darcy closed her eyes and placed her finger on her laptop screen, moving it around randomly on the map displayed there before landing in the right side of the Scandinavian peninsula. "Sweden it is," she told him before maximizing the screen for the Swedish tourism website she had opened previously. She pored over the pages, taking in all that she could about their destination in silence before closing the laptop and looking over at the still-naked Loki, who had taken to laying back on the bed and staring up at the ceiling.

"So... are we going to talk about why you can't stand heat?" asked Darcy as she repositioned herself on the bed to look at Loki.

"In time," Loki replied, stiffening at the question.

"No time like the present."

"In time," he repeated.

"You know that that is seriously frustrating, right? You're all dark and brooding one minute and then you're seemingly happy the next. You know you can trust me," she urged. Loki remained silent and it was clear that Darcy wasn't going to get anything out of him. "When you're ready. But keep in mind that I love you and that nothing you tell me will change that," she told him quietly. Darcy picked up on his apprehension became silent, allowing her mind to wander.

"Does it ever bother you that Heimdall can totally see you naked?" Darcy asked suddenly, and Loki glanced at her in amusement, relaxing at the change of subject.

"We've all known each other for eons, Darcy. Everyone has seen everyone naked for one reason or another at some point. Heimdall can hear the grass grow and was born of nine mothers; I hardly think it necessary that I should be ashamed if he can see me nude or not. And he most certainly is looking now, considering how many times we've said his name," Loki told her, not bothering to cover himself and giving her a large grin.

Back in Asgard, a look of amusement flashed in Heimdall's normally stony face as he observed the prince and his curious companion. In the next moment he continued his watch, as was his eternal duty, for the ever-increasing threat against his home.


	13. Chapter 12

Appeal to My Humanity

**Disclaimer: Is a disclaimer really necessary?**

**I fixed a continuity error that a reader pointed out regarding Darcy's number of siblings (she now has three older brothers in **_**all **_**chapters, woohoo!) Everyone that reads and reviews rocks my world.**

**There is more Google-ing in this chapter than most and I'm trying my hardest to keep Stockholm accurate as possible considering I've never been there. If you see anything that's wrong please please please let me know.**

**Thanks a million to my new beta Sam666 (samantha-shakespeare on Tumblr). **

Chapter 12

Darcy had always been wary of the Widow. She'd seen her fight on the news and she'd heard stories, whispers really, of the deeds that Natasha Romanov had done, the people she had played. She was torn between horrified fascination and apprehensive reverence, but the fact that the Widow had been a key piece in the protection of Earth from Loki's and the Chitauri's invasion meant that she was on the side of good. For now.

"You're on the no-fly list in every country, so of course we'll be altering your appearance. We'll see what we can do about hacking into the facial recognition software at both JFK International and Stockholm Arlanda Airports," Natasha told Loki, who was sitting across from she and Clint. The meeting room they were in was cold and far too stark white, which reminded Darcy of an interrogation room more than anything else.

Natasha turned to Darcy, who was sitting next to Loki. "My intelligence tells me that no one of importance knows that you have ties of any kind to this organization, so you should be fine to board without any appearance alteration," she told Darcy, who nodded. "We'll provide you with your passports, driver's licenses, social security cards, and credit cards. You'll be a married couple from Queens on your honeymoon. Congratulations," Natasha told them in her normal, cool tone.

Clint's face was impossible to read, but Darcy was certain that he was not thrilled to be in the presence of the Asgardian prince. She imagined that a mind-fuck from Loki while he possessed his full powers would probably put anyone off of him, let alone a self-sufficient, independent marksman-turned-SHIELD agent. He sat with the chair leaning back, one foot propped up on the table.

"We want to leave as soon as possible. How quickly can you guys get all of this going?" Darcy asked, wary of the fact that an undertaking like this would probably take some time.

"A few hours," Natasha replied with an air of nonchalance; Darcy's eyes widened in surprise at the speed of the operation. "Of course, we won't want to hack into the facial recognition software until an hour or two before we leave. We could leave tomorrow if you'd like."

A feeling of delighted giddiness arose in Darcy so quickly that she had to take a breath and think for a moment in order to make the responsible choice. "I'll check with Jane first and see if she needs either myself or Loki immediately, but I'll let you know once I know. Should I send you an e-mail, or...?" Darcy allowed her voice to trail off.

"I have already programmed mine and Clint's numbers into both of your cell phones. You can call me when you find out. Any questions?"

Loki and Darcy exchanged a look.

"Why aren't we taking some fancy SHIELD jet? Not that I mind flying commercial, but don't you guys usually go pretty over-the-top for this kind of thing?" Darcy asked. Clint rocked gently in his tilted chair, his boredom palpable.

"We want to take care not to raise any eyebrows. There are only a few powers from all over the world that know about SHIELD, but the ones that do will do anything they can to gain knowledge about us. The last thing we need is anyone discovering that _he_ is back on Earth," Natasha replied, motioning her head toward Loki. "Besides, we'll have one of our own piloting whatever airplane you choose to go with."

It was Loki's turn to speak up. "It's not that Stark man, is it?"

Natasha and Clint turned their heads toward Loki in tandem, both of their faces suspiciously blank. "No," Natasha answered. Darcy shot Loki an exasperated look and rolled her eyes.

"I think that's it for me," Darcy said to the SHIELD agents, giving them a smile and standing. "I'll let you guys know when we're going. We need to get back to work."

The pairs parted ways and Darcy walked toward the lab with Loki. They found Jane standing in the middle of the room, reading over a piece of paper repeatedly with an unreadable expression on her face.

"Jane? You okay?" Darcy called from the doorway. Loki entered the room and approached Jane, who did not react to his presence. He moved behind her to look at what she was reading, and within moments his face also held the same strange expression.  
"Dude, what is up with you guys?" Darcy asked. She approached the pair and crossed her arms over her chest looking at them both. "Loki?"  
"Darcy," Jane said, looking up from the paper, "I found it."  
"You found what?" Darcy asked.  
"We only needed one more piece of information before we were able to move on with the final steps of the Bifrost project, "Jane breathed, "I found it."  
Darcy's eyes lit up with delight and joy for her friend. "So, we're done?"  
This time Loki chimed in. "Not done yet. But we are very, very close. We can now start the final steps of the project, like building the last pieces of the machine that will go with the arc reactor that will power it."  
"This is so, so exciting, Jane," Darcy exclaimed, making her way across the room to her desk so that she could shoot off an email to Nick about their progress.  
"And don't think I've forgotten about your trip," Jane told her. "You guys are still good to go. I wouldn't want to hinder your fun and I know how excited you are to go. I can work by myself until you guys get back."  
"Aw Jane, you are the freaking best!" Darcy called from her computer. She took one more minute to round out the email to Nick and send it to him before getting up, crossing the room, and throwing her arms around Jane's neck.  
The day had already been exciting enough, and Darcy spent the rest of it inputting data for Jane and listening to snippets of Jane's and Loki's conversation about the project. Loki seemed to be almost as excited as Jane was and Darcy was thrilled for them both.  
Later that night Darcy and Loki smoothed out the wrinkles in their trip planning – Loki had been peering over Darcy's shoulder and noticed that she had purchased coach seats, and Loki used his powers to slyly change their itinerary to a first class flight while Darcy made a phone call to Natasha, getting her voice mail. She left the Widow a message advising that their flight would leave the following evening, leaving the specifics of their itinerary so that she, Clint, and SHIELD would be prepared. She received a voice mail of her own back within 10 minutes, advising her and Loki to meet the two agents in room 6-D at noon the following day.  
The next day, a Saturday, was an absolute flurry of chaos. Apparently Loki, in all of his princely glory, had never had to prepare for a trip of any kind in his entire, lengthy life. He had had servants prepare everything for him and travel had been no different and he was absolutely no help in the preparation. When it was time to meet Clint and Natasha, Darcy had managed to pack no less than six bags of clothing for herself alone, whereas Loki only packed one – most of which was done for him by Darcy, who included some attire that Loki normally wouldn't wear.

Darcy and Loki headed to room 6-D at noon to find both agents waiting, along with a couple of new agents Darcy had never met. The room was small and comfortable with couches and tables; the center of the room held a chair and vanity. The agents quickly introduced themselves as "disguise architects" which Darcy took to be a fancy term for 'makeup artists' – until she saw their work. By the end of an hour they had made Loki wholly unrecognizable. His dark tresses were covered with a wig of curly short light brown locks, contact lenses turned his eyes practically black, and putty had been used to distort all of his facial features from his forehead to his neck and ears.

It was odd for Darcy to see him look like a complete stranger and still talk like Loki, but all of that was forgotten in the rush to the airport. The agents loaded Darcy and Loki into an all-black SUV with heavily tinted windows in which Natasha appeared to be playing the part of chauffeur, and the happy 'newlyweds' sat in a comfortable silence all the way to the loading/unloading zone. They made it through security without a hitch, boarding the flight, and Darcy was surprised to be moving to the front of the plane. She double-checked their tickets and sure enough, the flight was first class when she could have sworn she only purchased coach.

"Well I'm definitely not going to point it out... I don't know if it's SHIELD's doing or if it's the airline's error, but I'm not complaining," Darcy told Loki as they sat next to one another in some extremely comfortable reclining chairs. Suddenly a huge grin spread over her face. "This is awesome."

"It is," Loki agreed. He had been to many places on Earth before and had taken many holidays while on Asgard, but they all paled in comparison to going somewhere – anywhere - new with Darcy. He had no royal duties, no one to impress. "I haven't been outside in over a year," he said suddenly, quietly, to no one in particular. Darcy sucked in a breath and realized he was right, wondering to herself what it must have been like for him to even exit the SUV earlier when they got to the airport. A flash of anger arose in her, giving way to sympathy, at which time Darcy leaned over and kissed him deeply, unashamedly. She didn't care if public displays of affection were a bit of a faux pas – she would comfort him. She leaned on him and he put an arm around her while she closed her eyes, waiting for the plane to begin take-off.

"Comfortable?" Came a voice from behind them, and Darcy opened her eyes, turning her head to find that Clint Barton had boarded. Loki did not seem to be surprised at Barton's sudden appearance at all; in fact, it seemed that Loki somehow already knew he was there.  
"Absolutely. Thanks for the upgrade, by the way," Darcy told him. Barton's only response was a quizzical expression before he took his seat two aisles away, facing Darcy and Loki. Clint seemed completely unsurprised as a stewardess approached Darcy and advised her that the captain had requested her presence in the cockpit. Barton gave an almost imperceptible nod and Darcy arose from her seat, following the stewardess to the front of the plane. The stewardess knocked only once and left, allowing Darcy to enter the cockpit alone. She felt a slight breeze when entering, but thought nothing of it. When she did, the man sitting in the pilot's seat was one of the last people she would expect to be there.  
"Oh my God! Captain America?" Darcy asked, and the captain gave her a huge grin.  
"Yes ma'am, at your service. Although you can call me Steve," Steve told her. "As you can see I'll be piloting your flight. I was told that your boyfriend might have some concerns with who was flying today, and I just wanted to put your mind at ease. "  
"My mind was already at ease, but I will let Loki know. That was really sweet of you Steve, thanks so much."  
"Any time, ma'am," Steve responded. Darcy turned and began to exit the cockpit when she felt a chilly patch of air and shivered.  
"I think you guys need a heater on this plane, it's freezing in here," Darcy told Steve before closing the cockpit door and heading back to her seat.  
"What did the captain want with you?" Loki asked, putting down a book he had been reading previously.  
"It was Captain America actually," Darcy said, "or Steve Rogers. Whatever. Either way he wanted me to let you know that he wasn't Tony Stark. Just as cute, though," teased Darcy casually before she reclined in her chair and closed her eyes. Loki seemed entirely unsurprised at the information.  
The takeoff was swift, and just as their plane reached 35,000 feet Loki broke their comfortable silence with a disturbing question.  
"How did Rogers become encased in a block of ice for seven decades, again?"  
Darcy's eyes shot open in wide surprise, and found that it was difficult for her to get any sleep on the remainder of the 10 hour flight.

x

X

x

"You know you're kind of a douche, right?"

Darcy and Loki exited the plane in Stockholm with Natasha and Clint following closely behind. Disguised-Loki's expressions were unreadable, which was the most disturbing part of this entire experience in her opinion, but Loki remained silent.

"I mean, I get that you're the god of mischief and all of that, but there's a difference between being mischievous and just being mean. I was scared to death through that whole flight because of you!" Darcy continued to chastise.

Loki's voice remained very quiet. "He's gotten his pilot's license since he crashed his airplane into the ice, Darcy. I'm sorry to have frightened you, but you will find that being off the airplane will refresh you," he said, and as he wrapped an arm around her and touched her shoulder she began to feel gradually better, although Loki made sure to distract her enough that she wouldn't question the real reason why she suddenly felt so relaxed and rested.

The ride through Stockholm left Darcy breathless at all of the beautiful sights. The architecture was beyond comparison and spoke to Darcy like an old friend, beckoning her to explore their massive halls and tall steeples. The people she met along the way were very friendly and Darcy was delighted to learn that what she had read online was true - they spoke English as well as Swedish. She marveled at the massive ships that drifted in the water near the buildings and found no less than 24 restaurants she wanted to try on sight.

By the time Darcy got to their hotel, The Grand Hotel Stockholm, at around 1:00 PM Sweden time she found that the six-hour difference between Stockholm and New York City wasn't nearly as bad as she had anticipated. They checked in with no amount of trouble and Darcy marveled at the elegant hotel that SHIELD had picked out for them all the way to their room, and when the bellhop opened the door to their suite Darcy could only gasp at the grandeur. The room was massive, with state-of-the-art technology, luxurious furnishings, a seating area, a gargantuan modern-style bathroom with dual vanities, and so much storage that Darcy suddenly didn't feel silly for packing so much clothing. She gave a tip to the bellhop and Darcy grinned at Loki as he closed their door, glad to finally be alone at last.

"Can you freaking believe this room?" she asked him, flopping backwards onto the oversized bed. "I feel like a princess," she sighed.

Her words caught Loki off-guard, to his own surprise. Darcy would become a princess if they were to- but no. He couldn't let himself think it. He quickly recovered and gave her a small smile back, folding his arms over his chest in mock sternness. "Mortal, what would you know about being a princess?"

The question didn't throw Darcy for a second as she continued to stay on the bed, her arms spread wide while she gazed up at the gilded ceiling. "I know that if I were a princess I would live in a room just like this. And you would rub my feet every day, and there would be monkey butlers riding on Shetland ponies in the courtyard," Darcy rambled, her lazy smile widening as she closed he eyes, allowing her vacation to finally sink in.

"You lost me at the monkeys," was all she heard in response, followed by the sound of Loki crossing the room. She felt a weight over her suddenly and made no move to open her eyes when she felt his lips upon hers.

"Mmmm," was the only noise she produced until she cracked open her eyes, realizing that Loki was still wearing his Hollywood-quality disguise. She cut off the kiss promptly and began to laugh, allowing her real, unrestrained laughter to burst forth.

Loki gave her a look of genuine amusement and removed himself from the bed, heading into the bathroom and working the putty off of his face. He could hear Darcy's laughter die down unto giggles, when she would clearly think about the occurrence again and her raucous laughter would begin again in full-force.

Loki heard her call out between fits of giggles, "It's like making out with a Jonas brother!"

Loki grinned despite himself, noting the ridiculousness of the entire situation. He couldn't help but to wonder how he had lived without her for these many, many years. He regarded himself in the mirror for a moment after removing the disguise from his features and found that, for the first time, he was beginning to like the man that was looking back at him.


	14. Chapter 13

Appeal to My Humanity

**Disclaimer: I disclaim NOTHING.**

**Holy crap, an update! You guys are fucking rad for putting up with me, honestly.**

**So, lots of Googling. What I couldn't find online I used my imagination to fill in the blanks, and for that I beg your forgiveness.**

**Thanks a million to my beta Sam666 (samantha-shakespeare on Tumblr). **

Chapter 13

Darcy awoke in a tangle of sheets to the feeling of a wait on the bed next to her. The sun was beginning to set and Darcy watched the brilliant pink sky through the massive window near the bed. She smiled as she felt Loki's arms wrap around her and she responded by snugging closer to him.

"I can already tell that this time change is going to be killer," she muttered lazily and smiled into his chest.

"There's nothing stopping us from staying up all night and sleeping all day, "Loki murmured into her ear before planting a kiss into the nape of her neck. "I've spent some of my best days doing just that. "

"I'd love to hear about them," Darcy offered, hoping to coax more memories from his hesitant lips. His only response was to shift positions, leaning over her to kiss her lips. She smiled into his own lips, accepting his reluctance without a hint of bad feeling. He would open up in his own time. The growling of Darcy's stomach was what took her mind from her lover's embrace.

"And now for something completely different," she announced to him with a wide smile, sitting up and lazily holding a sheet to her chest. "How about some food?"  
Loki rose from the bed, obviously not at all abashed by his own stark nudity, and smiled at Darcy. "Whatever you would like."

"Oh you're going to regret those words," she replied slyly, narrowing her eyes. He paused in the middle of slipping on a white button up shirt and watched as Darcy picked up the phone from the cradle on the night stand by the bed.

"English? Oh, awesome. Room service please."

x

X

x

A half hour later, Darcy heard a knock at the door and opened it to find Clint Barton standing in the hallway, a bewildered waiter standing behind him with a pushcart full of silver trays.

"He says you guys ordered all of this," Clinton said, his disbelief etched into every syllable.

"Sure did," Darcy said, opening the door wider to reveal that the remainder of the room was seemingly unoccupied. The bathroom door was closed, Clint noticed. The waiter carted the delicious-smelling array into the room and set everything up so quickly and perfectly that Darcy tipped him extra. As the waiter left, Clint looked around the room and then at Darcy. "Blink once for, 'he's holding me hostage,'" he said to her, earning him a searing glare which was followed by the door being practically slammed in his face.

Darcy knocked on the bathroom door once to give Loki the all-clear.

"Thank you," he told her, entering the bedroom once more. "I am not subjecting myself to wearing that dreadful disguise once more."

Darcy shot him a playful glance. "I think that's fine here, but good luck getting that one past our two bodyguards when it's time to go," she teased, lifting the lid off of one of the trays and inhaling the scent. "Mmmmmm, come eat with me," she beckoned.

Darcy piled her plate high with one of everything: chocolate-dipped strawberries, tarts, slices of meats, poultry, and fish, cheeses, crackers, and finally some small samplings of wine. Loki's plate was twice as high as Darcy's and they examined each other's choices carefully before diving into their own respective meals. Darcy and Loki's conversation kept them talking well after the hot food had gone cold and the cold food warmed up. Darcy gushed about everything regarding their trip so far, from how nice the locals were to how beautiful their room was and everything she wanted to do while they were in Sweden. The topic eventually turned to what they could possibly do at this hour (10:30 PM) when the two decided to stay in an attempt to stave off jet lag.

Darcy lay in bed watching a movie while Loki lay in bed watching Darcy. It was clear to him that she was restless and he cast a subtle, yet effective sleeping charm on her, watching her eyes flutter closed. Loki simply observed her for a few long moments before rising out of bed and walking out onto the balcony. His bare chest hit the cool night air and he stood there, simply taking in the feeling of the crisp breeze that he had not experienced in over a year.

He looked out over the city taking in the stark contrast of the bright lights against the black night. This place reminded him more of Asgard than he wanted to admit, and the fact that he found that comforting did not sit well with him. Before long, Loki had picked up the reason why this place was so much like home: there was the unmistakable thrum of magic in the area. He leaned slightly over the balcony railing and the further he got away from the hotel, even just by a few inches, he could feel magic emanating from one specific part of the city. His eyes narrowed at what this could mean, but before he could think of it any further he heard soft boots land next to him.  
"I don't think a fall from this height would kill you, unfortunately," said the soft voice of Clint Barton. Loki heard the sound of the bow and arrow being raised and pointed at his head. "But I am definitely willing to oblige."

"And I wish you the best of luck," replied Loki evenly. "Everything your barbaric organization has attempted to do to me thus far has failed; I have no higher hopes for you. Either way, I would prefer if you wait until we get back to New York. I would rather not leave Darcy in your 'care'," he sneered.

After a heavy, tense moment passed, Barton lowered his arrow and looked out upon the city with Loki. He broke the silence quietly. "I _am_ pretty astounded that you haven't attempted to escape yet."

Loki cast a sideways glance at the Hawk. "That would require motivation that I find I am lacking these days," he responded simply. He could feel Barton's eyes assessing him and he heard the archer let out a sigh.

"You really like her, do you?" Barton asked, and Loki felt as though he was being asked to bite a baited question.

"That would be putting it mildly," was Loki's cautious response. From the corner of his eye he saw the Hawk put his bow down while he leaned his arms against the railing.

"Well I hope you two know what you're doing," was all that the Hawk said. His words hung heavy in the air and before Loki could respond he was gone.

Loki did not know how it would happen, but he knew that he would stay with Darcy, somehow. He wasn't sure if it was his hallmark selfishness or if it was real, actual love, but he knew that he would be infinitely worse-off without her.

He just hoped they knew what they were doing, too.

x

X

x

"Oh my god, I feel awesome!" exclaimed Darcy as she hopped, nude, out of the bed and practically skipped to the bathroom. "I haven't slept like that in ages!" Loki heard her call before the sound of the shower being turned on drowned out her voice.

Loki smirked to himself at the cleverness of his own sleeping spell and then felt an unwelcome – and wholly unfamiliar – twinge of guilt. He realized that the uneasy feeling settled in the pit of his stomach and he was surprised to find that he knew exactly what it was that caused it: he was, in a way, lying to Darcy. By not being forthright about the return of his powers he was continuing to keep a secret from her. He wondered fleetingly why it was only now he felt such guilt, but he shoved the thought away with no small amount of effort. Instead, he made his way across the bedroom and joined her in the shower.

Darcy was in the middle of washing Loki's hair for him when she asked, "Do you have someone else do this for you back on Asgard?"

The question caught him off-guard and he gave her a wicked grin. "In fact I do. I get a new servant girl to do it for me every single morning."

Darcy responded by spraying him in the face with the detachable shower head. "You are so full of shit," she giggled. He wiped his face with a clean, soap-free hand but his smile only widened.

"Am not. Servant girls line up out the door to wash the prince's royal hair, and if they're lucky I let them make me breakfast," he laughed.

"And that's my cue to exit," she told him, leaving him alone to wash himself.

Darcy was already dressed and putting on makeup when Loki got out of the bathroom.

"You need to put on your face before we head out, babe. I want to try one of the restaurants for breakfast," she ordered. Loki groaned inwardly upon being reminded of his required disguise. He retreated back into the bathroom and, without a second thought, used his powers to transform his appearance. The magic looked just like the disguise that was made for him and was substantially more comfortable. He waited a few minutes before exiting the bathroom so that Darcy would believe the lie and those few minutes were saturated with the same pang of guilt that stabbed into him like a jagged piece of glass.

_Get it together, are you the god of lies and mischief or aren't you?_ he thought to himself and took in a deep breath. He entered the bedroom to find that Darcy was waiting for him and he gave her a too-wide smile.

"What?" she asked with amused suspicion in the question.

"What?" Loki responded, "Can I not be happy to see you?" he responded before quickly changing the subject. "I too am becoming hungry – let us dine."

x

X

x

The pair spent the day walking around the city, poking their heads into shops and popping into museums. Darcy was much too enamored with the city to notice Loki's distracted demeanor – he felt the familiar tug of the magic he had sensed the night before. He attempted to keep his attentions focused on Darcy and the city, if only to keep the Widow and Hawk from sensing that anything was amiss. He had caught the agents flirting with one another more than once, but it was apparent that the only place that Loki and Darcy would not have eyes on them would be their hotel room.

Loki had determined the area from where the magic was calling to him and he was formulating a plan to get Darcy and the agents to actually go there willingly when he felt the guilt – again. Keeping anything at all from Darcy – no matter how minute – was beginning to take a toll on the prince who had once been so used to weaving fabrications and telling them to loved ones without a second thought.

The pair returned to their hotel room after dinner that evening and, knowing full well that both agents could hear them, decided to have an extra-loud lovemaking session inspired by new lingerie that Darcy had purchased while they were shopping that day. Agent Romanov surveyed the wares in the store herself, boldly picking a few pieces to purchase while Agent Barton only blushed at the entire scene.

Darcy was lightly snoring when Loki slipped out onto the balcony and was not at all surprised to find Agent Barton standing there already, bow on the ground, looking out onto the city.

"Agent Barton," Loki nodded. Clint Barton only nodded back in response. The two stood in silence, neither minding the other, each completely unaware that the other was thinking of their own respective childhoods. The lights of the city reminded Loki of the endless galaxy of stars that could be viewed from the Rainbow Bridge and could not place a finger on the name of the emotion he was experiencing.

Most people would call it longing.

The laughter of the two children on the streets below made Clint Barton think of his only brother when they were touring with a circus during their youth – those were happier times.

It was Loki who broke the silence and it was not a question that Agent Barton expected to hear.

"Does deception make you feel guilty?"

The agent thought for a moment and studied the god of mischief with an appraising eye in an apparent new light. "I, uh, well I guess... sometimes?" was his stuttered response. Loki glances at him in a way that told Agent Barton that his answer had clearly been unhelpful, so Barton continued. "I don't feel bad when I lie to say, the enemy for instance; but lying to Tash or Phil makes me feel like a bastard, absolutely."

Loki turned Agent Barton's answer over carefully in him mind. "I see. You've been helpful, Agent Barton."

"So what have you been keeping from the lady?" Barton asked.

"That, Hawk, is between me and my lady. Who said anything about keeping anything from Darcy anyway?" Loki asked. He was finding the conversation comfortable and light even given the uncomfortable, serious topic. Perhaps it was all of his past experience with lie-smithing in the first place.

"Well they have a saying down here on Earth – honesty is the best policy. It's going to feel better to come clean and you won't have to keep track of what lies you've told to everyone," Barton advised, picking up his bow and signaling the end of the conversation. Loki heard him deftly climb up the balcony and away onto the roof. He thought briefly on the Hawk's words before turning his attentions back to the tug of the magic he kept feeling. Deception or no, Loki had to know what it was.

Loki stepped inside the bedroom and, after ensuring that Darcy was indeed asleep, conjured a corporeal double of himself while he became invisible. The double lay in bed with Darcy while Loki peeked out of the cracked door of their hotel room, surprised to find that neither of the agents were present. He slipped out of the hotel room and closed the door without a sound, slinking quietly down the hallway. The only person he encountered on his way out of the hotel was a bellhop, who only noticed a chilly breeze blow by as Loki passed. The bellhop shivered and rubbed his hands together, looking around as if he was looking for an open window or forgotten door left ajar.

Loki wandered around the city and found that the pull of magic was leading him east of the hotel. He had only walked for about twenty minutes when he came to what seemed to be the source of the pulsing magic emanating from within. It appeared to be coming from a building that had a contemporary design but a curious old ship's mast sticking out of the top. On a small sign with unassuming font, Loki read _'Vasa Museet' – The Vasa Museum_. He looked around and saw no guards, so he used a spell to unlock a side door to the building before slipping, unseen, inside.

Loki was astounded to find that he was in the presence a massive, ornate wooden warship that dominated the large museum and was surrounded by staggered levels of floorspace that made up eight different levels to explore. He found himself admiring the detail of the stern briefly before allowing himself to be pulled toward one level of the museum by the call of the magic he had felt all day. The intensity of the magic had Loki's nerves on end – whatever was in this museum, it was extremely powerful.

The prince found himself being led to an area where artifacts from the ship were exhibited – common items that would have been used by sailors, simple cooking items that would have been used by cooks, and finally Loki found himself standing in front of an exhibit that clearly displayed items that had been found in the captain's quarters. Detailed sculptures, ornate wooden furniture, jewelry, and coins made up most of the exhibit, but one item in particular captured the attention of the Asgardian: a jewel-encrusted golden hourglass that called to him like a beacon. He looked upon it and gasped aloud.

There could be no mistake. There, nestled snugly between two crystals, was one of the most powerful relics the universe had ever seen: the Time Gem.

**A bit of a light chapter, but more coming soon :)**


End file.
